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Insurance Innovation Director Urges Addition of App Option to Ohio Driver‑Training Requirements
Summary
Jason Rather of Grange Insurance asked the Senate to amend House Bill 54 to allow state‑approved mobile app technology to complement in‑car driving instruction and to modernize driver training while preserving instructor jobs and safety oversight.
Jason Rather, who leads innovation at Grange Insurance, asked the Senate Transportation Committee to add language to House Bill 54 that would permit state‑approved mobile app technology to supplement — not replace — traditional driver‑training instruction.
Rather described three challenges he called the "3 A's": accessibility, availability and affordability of driver training. He said the bill already contains licensing and training minimums for new drivers and that his proposed amendment would create an additional option that uses a mobile app as an in‑car coaching tool while keeping a licensed adult in the vehicle.
"Safety is paramount," Rather told the committee and said any technology would have to be reviewed and approved by the Department of Public Safety before use. He said the app would capture driving behavior metrics and provide post‑drive coaching to parents and students.
Why it matters: The change would let driving schools and families use telematics‑style feedback to expand coaching and potentially reduce wait times or travel burdens where traditional driving schools are scarce. Rather said the amendment would have no impact on the state budget and would preserve driving‑instructor jobs because licensed adults must remain in the vehicle during training.
Details from testimony
- Rather cited existing House language requiring driver‑training proof for under‑18 applicants and a sworn affidavit for some adults showing 50 hours of driving experience, including 10 hours at night.
- His proposed amendment would add a state approval process for app‑based coaching tools and explicitly allow a mobile app as a complementary training aid.
- Rather said the technology would operate as a passive coach in the vehicle, capturing driving behaviors and producing post‑drive feedback for parents and students.
What the testimony did not include
The committee did not record a formal vote on any amendment; ODOT or the Department of Public Safety did not testify in this segment to confirm the technical or regulatory feasibility of the proposal.
Ending
Rather said he will submit a written amendment for the committee’s consideration and asked senators to consider adding a technology‑option pathway to updated driver‑training requirements.
