Changes coming to driver’s education program in Louisiana

According to the Department of Motor Vehicles commissioner, Nick Gautreaux, who is from Vermilion Parish, there will soon be additions and changes to the drivers’ ed curriculum.

Louisiana legislators have recently passed and the Department of Motor Vehicles will soon implement an additional requirement for teenagers preparing to a get a driver’s license in 2012. In addition to the regular course, student-drivers will also have to take a littering course. According to Gautreaux, this will consist of a video on littering that they will have to watch during their drivers ed course.

State leaders report that it costs taxpayers thousands of dollars each year to clean up what people toss out their windows.

If you’re driving and get caught tossing trash out your window, you may pay anywhere from a fifty dollar fine to five thousand dollar fine and perhaps even face jail time.

Environmentalists and lawmakers are hoping this addition and the warnings will make a difference for driver’s of all ages.

There are five basic steps to obtain your Louisiana drivers license. These steps change a little depending on the age of the potential driver, but the following is a compiled list of the necessary steps for new drivers. These steps include: take Driver’s Education, get a learner permit, pass your driver permit written test, get car insurance coverage, get insured to drive, practice driving,

All licenses are issued at your local Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV). Take two primary forms of identification, or one primary and two secondary forms. Your birth certificate, Social Security card, and high school yearbook will suffice. You may check out the Louisiana OMV’s list of accepted forms of identification for further assistance.

The driver’s license fee is $24.50. This is usually paid in cash. This fee may vary depending on your location.

You can obtain the application at the OMV, or save time and the headache of standing in line by downloading and completing it at home.

The name on your permit or license needs to be your full legal name. If the name on your Social Security card doesn’t match the name on your license or permit, you’ll need to make the necessary changes with the Social Security Administration.

All applicants must take vision, written, and traffic signs exams, in addition to completing a 38-hour Driver Education Course. Louisiana provides a list of approved courses online. Take proof of successful completion of the course with you when you apply.

Once you have your learner’s permit, you may drive with another licensed driver who is at least age 21 or a licensed sibling who is at least age 18.

Applicants age 15 and 16 must have their learner’s permits for at least 180 days before applying for an intermediate license. Applicants age 17 must have their learner’s permit, be able to show proof of successful completion of the 38-hour Driver Education course.