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Legislator Seeks More Oversight on Private Driving Schools

Posted on: Thursday, 14 July 2005, 18:00 CDT

A Vancouver lawmaker Wednesday said the state should keep a keener eye on private driving schools because a "few bad apples" are endangering student drivers.

"There is, in fact, very little regulation and very little oversight," said state Rep. Deb Wallace, D-Vancouver.

At a press conference at Hudson's Bay High School, Wallace hinted at "behind-the-scene owners" running shady schools, and state Department of Licensing Director Liz Luce said one Clark County driving school is under investigation, though she declined to name it.

They pledged to seek legislation next year to raise teaching standards and toughen penalties against schools that break the rules.

"It's about kids. It's about safety on the roads," said Luce, a former Clark County auditor.

Drivers under 18 must pass a driver's education course to obtain a license. In the past three years, the number of private driving schools statewide has increased from 119 to 213.

The Vancouver and Evergreen school districts continue to offer drivers' education, but other school districts have dropped it. "There have been a lot of school districts who say, 'We can't afford it,' " said Peter Teets, who helps oversee private driving schools for the Department of Licensing.

Driving instructors must complete 60 hours of training and pass a background check by the Washington State Patrol. Since 2002, the department has disciplined 17 private schools, mostly for using unqualified instructors.

Eleven of those cases, including three originating in Clark County, involved schools operating under the name Diamond Driving.

Diamond's Vancouver office closed in 2002 in the wake of a state investigation into who really owned it. Two instructors used by the school were later disciplined for not being certified to teach driving.

Diamond Driving is still listed in the current QwestDex Clark County phone book.

A man identifying himself as Steve Kulin answered the number Wednesday and said he now operates A-Driving School. Kulin, who was operating Diamond's Vancouver office when it closed, said he didn't know Diamond Driving was still listed in the phone book.

At the press conference, Don Munro, who owns six driving schools in Skagit, San Juan and Snohomish counties, said it's hard to compete with schools that cut corners.

"I think there are enough rules, I really do, if people would just abide by them," he said.

"What do people look for? The cheapest school! And it kills us," he said. "How much is the safety of kids worth?"

In an interview with The Columbian, Rebecca Beers, the manager of AIM Driving School in Vancouver, said parents and prospective students should investigate a driving school.

"The really sad thing is, your student is in a three- to four- ton killing machine, and you're asking, 'What's your cheapest price?' " Beers said.

Schools should report their students' success rates in passing the driver's test and avoiding accidents, she said.

Currently, the Department of Licensing can't levy fines against schools that use unqualified instructors or break other rules.

The Legislature must grant that authority.

The department can revoke a school's license, putting the school out of business for at least a year before it can apply for reinstatement.

In many cases, however, the department has handed out suspensions as short as 30 days to schools that employed uncertified instructors.

Munro said the short suspensions don't deter violators.

"People think they can get a big buck quick," he said.

Don Jenkins covers the Legislature. He can be reached at 360-759- 8038 or don.jenkins@columbian.com.

Did you know?

* The number of private driving schools in Washington has increased from 119 to 213 in the past three years.

* The Department of Licensing can temporarily close schools that use unqualified instructors, but doesn't have the authority to fine them.

* A Vancouver driving school closed in 2002 in the wake of a state investigation, but remains listed in the phone book and serves as a number for another school.

Source: Columbian

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