Section 263:19 Driver Education.
I. A driver's license may be issued subject to the provisions of this chapter to a person under the age of 18 years who has attained his or her sixteenth birthday, if such person shall present a certificate of successful completion of a driver education course given by a public or nonpublic secondary school and approved by the department of education in cooperation with the department of safety or given by a motor vehicle drivers' school licensed under the provisions of this chapter. An approved driver education course, whether conducted by a secondary school or by a school licensed under this chapter, shall consist of both classroom instruction and behind the wheel driver training of not less than 10 hours, in accordance with rules adopted pursuant to RSA 541-A, published jointly by the commissioner of education and the commissioner of safety, such standards to be not less than those presently required. The classroom instruction shall include 45 minutes of a nationally-recognized motorcycle safety education course approved by the director and the motorcycle rider education program advisory committee and 45 minutes of a nationally-recognized tractor-trailer safety education and awareness course approved by the director. The department of safety, by the nature of its function, shall be held ultimately responsible for setting and maintaining the quality standards for driver education in the state, aided and facilitated by the department of education. This authority shall apply uniformly over both secondary school courses and private motor vehicle drivers' school courses.
II. To qualify for a driver's license under this section, a person under the age of 18 shall also certify the completion of 40 hours of additional supervised driving time under the supervision of a licensed parent or guardian, or, if there is no licensed parent or guardian, under the supervision of a licensed adult over the age of 25, and that at least 10 of the hours of additional supervised driving time were during the period from 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. The commissioner shall adopt rules relative to the method of certification.
III. Any person who wishes to obtain a motorcycle endorsement shall not be required to complete the 20 hours of practice driving time specified in paragraph II, but shall successfully complete a program authorized pursuant to RSA 263:34-b.
IV. Any person wishing to qualify for a driver's license who submits proof that the person has a disability covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act may request a waiver of a requirement of this section from the commissioner. The commissioner or his or her agents may approve such requests at their discretion.
Source. RSA 261:6-a. 1965, 339:2. 1981, 146:1. 1999, 157:2; 290:4; 297:6; 297:7; 297:8. 2002, 83:4, eff. Jan. 1, 2003. 2006, 59:1, eff. June 23, 2006. 2009, 6:1, eff. June 16, 2009.