Bill would expand 3‑hour exchange education to cover Maryland driving rules for out‑of‑country license holders; MVA supports curriculum update

Delegate Mark Edelson presented House Bill 4 63 to the committee to expand the curriculum of the Motor Vehicle Administration’s three‑hour education program that applicants with out‑of‑country driver licenses must complete to obtain a Maryland license.

"This bill would keep this 3 hour program but expand the subject matter from only drug and alcohol, to include education that ensures a better understanding of traffic signals, signs, pavement markings, dangerous driving behaviors, work zone safety, administrative penalties and sanctions, and Maryland's driving record and points system," Delegate Edelson told the committee.

Chrissy Neisser, Motor Vehicle Administrator, testified the current statutory curriculum (added in 1993) focuses on alcohol and drug awareness and is not sufficient to prepare drivers who learned to drive abroad for Maryland traffic norms. Neisser said the MVA surveyed driver schools and that a majority of instructors found the current curriculum inadequate; the MVA supports expanding topics while keeping the course length at three hours and continuing private delivery of the program.

Neisser characterized the change as consistent with Vision Zero goals and road safety efforts: examiners had reported examples ranging from wrong‑side driving to misreading common U.S. traffic devices. Delegate Edelson said technical amendments to avoid implicating driver rehabilitation programs were forthcoming.

Ending: Proponents asked for a favorable report; MVA and driving‑school representatives signaled backing for a modernized three‑hour curriculum for international license exchanges.