State DMV Commissioner and Board of Regents Chancellor Conduct Third and Final Forum on Driver Education

ALBANY, NY (11/05/2008)(readMedia)--

Commissioner David J. Swarts of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and Chancellor of the State Board of Regents, Robert Bennett today convened the last of three public forums of DMV, BOCES and Department of Education staff along with law enforcement, parents, driver education teachers and young drivers in West Seneca to solicit input on improving driver education in New York State.

Last July, the New York State Legislature recognized the need to examine the quality and availability of driver education and created a temporary special advisory panel on driver education availability and curriculum enhancement. This panel, which is co-chaired by the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Commissioner of Education, will assess and make recommendations to improve driver education and ensure that instruction is more available and developmentally appropriate. The community forums were designed to provide valuable input from the community that will be used in the formulation of the report which is due to the Legislature and the Governor by December 31.

Regarding the three forums held statewide, Commissioner Swarts said, "I am pleased that so many people have taken the time to attend these worthwhile forums. I am especially impressed with the contributions made by the teens that were present. All three forums have been extremely helpful in guiding the recommendations that will be made by the panel to the Legislature and Governor."

State Education Commissioner Richard Mills said, "I am grateful to Commissioner Swarts and to everyone who took the time to participate in our public forums. The information they provided was invaluable and will help guide us as we put together our recommendations for improving driver education. We know that teenagers are involved in accidents more often than any other age group. And we know that those accidents too often have tragic consequences. We must do a better job of teaching our children how to drive, and these forums are an important first step."

Donald Ogilvie, Erie 1 BOCES District Superintendent said, "Sending our children out on the road as drivers of automobiles is a fearsome scenario for parents when one considers the data which associates novice and teen drivers with the highest rates of crash risk. The schools a generation ago were able to imbed driver education into their programs. That is no longer the case due to tight budgets and the demands of a more rigorous academic program which have virtually eliminated elective courses such as driver education, which the majority of students were required to enroll in, by their parents. The New York State Legislature, through Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, David Swarts and Education Commissioner Richard Mills, have properly brought this matter to the public's attention and Erie 1 BOCES is pleased to have been named as one of three sites across New York State to hear from students, parents, and others who also have a stake in the safety and welfare of our children."

The three forums included discussions among five different groups including: teens and youth, parents and guardians, educators, law enforcement and courts, and community members. Each group explored such topics as technological advancements, driver education funding, proven methods for teaching students and current licensing requirements and restrictions on young drivers.

The two previous community forums were held last month in Albany and Nassau counties. More than 300 people have participated in these forums statewide.

For more information, contact the communications office at the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles at 518.473.7000.

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