Equipment needed for the Driver Education
Program
Classroom/Equipment Specification
The classroom phase of driver
education should be taught in a facility that is conducive to learning and
equivalent to any other subject discipline.
The facility should meet at least minimum sate, OSHA, and
Classroom instructional equipment
Each student should receive an
approved driver education textbook that may be taken home and returned to class
each day. Driver education textbooks
should be replaced every five years so that the most up-to-date information is
conveyed. State driving manuals or
handbooks is not considered a textbook but serve as an excellent resources tool
for instruction. Instructional equipment
should be available to accommodate the resources necessary for the delivery of
the classroom curriculum. This list
includes:
TV/VCR/DVD
(minimum 25 inch diameter television)
Cart, stand,
electrical cords, power strip
Overhead
projector
Screen
Chalkboard,
whiteboard, marker board, flipchart
Additional equipment
that could be provided include:
Slide projector
Computer(s)
Instructional
software
Laptop computer/LCD
projector, connectors
Traffic board(s)
State/local
maps
Laser pointer
Traffic templates
The instructor should
be provided with a desk, chair, access to a filing system for record keeping
and typical instructional enhancements including pens, paper, tape, stapler,
transparencies, copying resources, bookshelves, corkboards/push-pins, mailing
resources, telephone, scheduling book, calendar, grade book, and the like.
Training Vehicle Specifications/Equipment
Behind-the-wheel instruction is the
most crucial phase of driver education. This
where the students applies what he/she has learned in the classroom and through
enhancements. Cars used for driver
education behind-the-wheel instruction should meet state inspection standards
or, if none exist, be inspected at least annually by a
state-approved inspection facility or the agency responsible for the state’s
driver education program. The size of
the car should comfortably accommodate up to four adult-sized individuals. It is recommended that cars be in the “compact”
or “intermediate” size classification. It
is recommended that cars used for behind-the-wheel driver education be no older
than five years from the current year of use or should not exceed 60,000 miles
of instructional use in the program.
In addition to the standard
equipment and safety features that are included on most cars, minimum vehicle
specifications for driver education purposes should include:
Automatic transmission
Power or
power-assisted steering
Power or
power-assisted brakes
Anti-lock
brake system
Air conditioning
Two side
view mirrors (driver and passenger side)
Bucket or
split-bench front seats
Center-pull
parking/emergency brake
Vehicle used for
driver education purposes should be used for instruction only. They are considered an extension of the
driver education classroom.
Vehicle Procurement
Most major vehicle manufacturers
offer incentives to car dealers who provide training vehicles for use in local
driver education programs. Acquiring
vehicles for use in driver education may come from one of several sources:
Vehicle leasing
Free-load
vehicles
Vehicle purchase
Donations
Vehicle Insurance
Driver education vehicles must be
insured above and beyond what is usually the minimum amount required by
individual state statutes for liability and property damage. It is recommended that liability and property
damage amounts be at a minimum $1,000,000 comprehensive coverage. The same amounts are recommended for states
with “no-fault” insurance statutes. It
is recommended that additional optional insurance coverage be purchased to
cover the repair to the driver education vehicle from other circumstances. It is recommended that programs work with
local insurance providers to provide the most complete coverage.
In-Car Instructional Equipment
The following list included
equipment that is essential to safe, efficient and proper delivery of
behind-the-wheel instruction:
Dual instructor
brake
Dual instructor
mirror
Identification
sign (s) – at least visible from the rear
First aid
kit (administer first aid only if qualified)
Fire extinguisher
(at least UL rated 5-B:C)
The dual instructor brake and mirror
are necessary for the safety of the occupants in the driver education car and
the on the roadways. Identification
signs (follow ISBE requirements) on the car provide a means to other roadway
users of understanding that instruction is taking place and a possible warning
of unexpected maneuvers by the driver.
These may be either car-top, magnetic-type or rubber holder-type signs
that contain the words “Driver Education” and/or “Student Driver”. If magnetic-type signs are used, it is
suggested t hat they be on all four sides of the
vehicle. It is recommended that the sign
background color be light (yellow), with the lettering a dark color
(black). Letter should be a minimum of 3
inches high to a maximum of 6 inches.
Additional instructional equipment
that should be considered for use in behind-the-wheel instruction includes:
Eye-check
mirror
Instructor clipboard/in-car
traffic board
Observer activity
sheets
Hand-held
audio cassette recorder/player
Timing device
(e.g. stopwatch)
Hand-held computer device for
instruction/record keeping (e.g. “Palm Pilot” or similar
Brake and accelerator pedal extensions
Appropriate seat
cushion (s)
Comments: Webmaster - EOE - Privacy Policy - March 24, 2009