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For Immediate
Release
6/13/06
CONTACT:
Senate Republican Communications
(717) 787-6725
Conti Introduces Legislation to Increase Driver Education Subsidy
HARRISBURG -- State
Senator Joe Conti (R-Bucks, Montgomery) and Representative Raymond Bunt
(R-Montgomery) unveiled legislation today that would increase the state's
subsidy for driver's education programs and encourage more high schools to offer
training.
"Around half
of Pennsylvania's high school students have the opportunity to take a driver
education course, but the other half do not," Conti said. "We believe the
reason is that many school districts just don't have the money to pay for it."
Conti pointed
out that the Commonwealth has not raised its driver's education subsidy since
1955. His bill, Senate Bill 1233, and Bunt's House Bill 1740, would increase
the subsidy from $35 per pupil to $350 per pupil. "Is there any cost that
has remained the same since 1955?" Conti asked. "Not food. Not gasoline.
Driver education costs have increased over this time, yet state support for
these programs has not."
He said the
measure would allow many school districts that have considered offering driver
education programs to do so. For districts that already do, it would provide an
incentive to improve their current programs. "It's a win-win situation for
students, for school districts, and most important for highway safety in
Pennsylvania."
Conti said the
Commonwealth's graduated driver licensing program, which requires a prospective
driver to obtain 50 hours of supervised experience behind the wheel, is a
powerful tool to help young people drive safer. "It's only half the picture,
however," he said. "In addition to learning from their parents or other family
members, kids also need formal driver education. Otherwise, they're not getting
all of the knowledge and experience they really need to be safe on the roads."
Also
participating in the news conference were Brad Fisher, President of the
Pennsylvania Association for Safety Education, Dr. Allen Robinson, Director of
the Highway Safety Center at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Executive
Director of the American Driver Traffic Safety Education Association, a national
group focusing on how to best educate young drivers.
 
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