Should NH restore state funding for drivers education programs?

Recently, Georgia reinstated public funding for driver education classes, designating 1.5% of every traffic ticket as a dedicated revenue source to subsidize the classes.

Currently in New Hampshire, drivers between the ages of 15 and a half and 18 who wish to apply for a license must complete a drivers education course. Individuals over 18 may apply for a license without taking drivers education. In New Hampshire, these classes can cost as much as $600.

In 2012, New Hampshire lawmakers eliminated a subsidy that subsidized drivers education classes for roughly $150 per student.

Supporters of publicly funding driver education courses argue that it will increase the percentage of students who take the classes before getting their license, leading to better-trained drivers on the road. This, in turn, would reduce the frequency of accidents and lead to lower insurance costs.

Opponents counter that driving is better learned on the road, not in the classroom, holding that the classes are largely ineffective and would be a drain on a strapped state budget.

UPDATE: Read our Citizen Voices℠ report and find out where New Hampshire stands on this issue.