WSU study helps steer new driver’s ed law for young adults

By the time many young Washington drivers get behind the wheel, they’ve never taken a formal driving course. That’s not an oversight. It’s the law — or, at least, it was. 

Until recently, anyone 18 or older in Washington could skip driver’s education entirely. No classes. No behind-the-wheel instruction. Just pass the state test and hope for the best. 

“Crash rates, especially fatal crashes, are going up,” said Washington State University researcher Season Hoard. “And young drivers between 18 and 24 are contributing to a large share of them.” 

Needing answers, the state turned to WSU Extension’s Division of Governmental Studies and Services (DGSS). Led by Hoard, the DGSS team analyzed crash rates, interviewed stakeholders, mapped geographic access to driver’s education courses, and examined policy. 

The research revealed that the issue isn’t youthful recklessness so much as gaps in public policy, prohibitive costs, geographical access to driver’s education, and trainer capacity. 

“Young adults are waiting until they’re 18 to get licensed to avoid paying the current cost of driver’s education,” said Christina Sanders, director of DGSS. “So, in addition to the safety issue, there is an equity issue too, because only those who can afford driver’s education classes are able to get licensed before the age of 18.” 

Washington phased out public funding for driver’s education in the early 2000s due to economic hardship. Private schools stepped in to fill the gap, charging between $500 and $750 per course, according to the Washington State Department of Licensing. 

The WSU researchers’ recent findings helped shape legislation that now requires training for all new drivers under 25, either through a full course or a condensed safety class. The law passed in late 2024 and took effect Jan. 1, 2025. 

In addition to the increased state financial support of driver’s education, lawmakers now require driver training and have expanded instructor certification statewide.  

“Since driver’s education in Washington is much more expensive than it used to be, there was the question: ‘How are people supposed to afford it?’” said Hoard.

While WSU Extension spearheaded the research, Hoard and Sanders credited strong interagency partnerships as critical to the work. 

“This research wasn’t done in a vacuum,” said Sanders. “We worked closely with the Washington Department of Licensing, the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, and community stakeholders whose input helped shape the study from start to finish.” 

For the DGSS researchers, the project was a reminder of how Extension connects impactful public research with the everyday needs of Washingtonians. 

“What I really enjoy about Extension is that virtually nothing is off limits — each community has unique needs,” said Hoard. “In this case, we helped the state tackle an important safety issue by bringing our resources to where they were needed most.”