GREENSBORO, N.C. — The coronavirus pandemic robbed many teenagers of some traditional rites of passage, like prom and high school graduation.
It's also put the brakes on that all-important driver's test that most of us experience.
Suzanne emailed us saying, “I have two, recently turned, 16-year-olds who really need to get their drivers' license to get to work and back on their own. Any idea when the DMV will be doing driver's tests again?”
It's a question 2 Wants to Know has answered before. The difference is, this time instead of a total stop thanks to COVID-19, there's a yield sign.
State lawmakers were looking at four different bills. All of them waive the driver's test, but with different rules.
House bill 1213 waives the road test as long as the parent or guardian accepts financial responsibility for any and all driving actions.
Senate bill 843 Waives the driving test for level 2 drivers, who are 16 or 17 and have held their learner's permit for a year. This bill funds driver’s license offices an extra $200,000 to expand hours to relieve backlog.
Senate bill 833 waives the driving test for those who have learners permits for six months. The bill only allows these drivers to use the car from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. for the first three months.
The final bill, 1189, was just talked about Tuesday in committee. It's a substitute for the first bill. It temporarily waives the road test requirement for students who have completed 20 hours of driver’s ed. It gives them a 90-day temporary license in the hopes they will then take the driver’s test. It includes $10 million to aid driver education.
UPDATE: As of June 4, House Bill 1189 passed the House and was headed to the Senate, with a few tweaks. The passed version allows a driver to have completed 15 hours of classwork and six hours of behind-the-wheel time. The road test would be waived until the DMV begins doing road tests again or 180 days, whichever if first.