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New Washington law requires driver education up to age 21, aims to cut young‑driver crashes
Summary
House Bill 1878 requires driver education for drivers up to age 21, adds courses for under‑25 drivers with multiple moving violations and creates vouchers and instructor training programs; the Washington Traffic Safety Commission estimate cited by the governor projected up to a 17% reduction in crashes among 18–25 year olds.
Governor Ferguson signed House Bill 1878 at a ceremonial signing in Olympia, saying the measure will expand required driver education to all drivers up to age 21 and provide supports to improve access.
"The Washington Traffic Safety Commission ... estimates that crashes among drivers 18 to 25 could be reduced by as much as 17%. That's 4,000 fewer serious injury or fatal crashes per year," Governor Ferguson said as he described the bill's expected safety benefits.
The law requires driver education for learners up to age 21. It also mandates that drivers under 25 who accrue two moving violations must complete specified courses. To address cost and access barriers, the bill creates vouchers for low‑income learners and funds programs to train additional driver‑education instructors.
Governor Ferguson noted the bill had bipartisan support and thanked prime sponsor State Representative Brandy Donaghy and companion sponsor State Senator Marco Lias. The transcript records the governor linking the legislation to broader efforts to improve ferry and transportation service staffing.
What happens next: agencies named in the statute (including the Washington Traffic Safety Commission and Department of Licensing) will implement the voucher and training programs and update administrative requirements as authorized by the law. The transcript attributes the safety estimate to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission; reporters and readers should expect agency guidance and rulemaking documents to provide implementation timelines and the data underlying that projection.
