Ohio adults we need your help please send via Facebook to all your different friends we need this word to get out and if you use other social media that will help, too.
VDA stands for #Virtual Driving Assessment. This has nothing to do with a simulator or driver training. The VDA machine is a keyboard and laptop with gas and brake pedals and the student will sit and respond to scenarios presented and the machine keeps score and will end up giving a report of it appears the student will perform now and possibly in the future on the road and what parents need to work on.
Mind you this is something we already do. We must give the parent a report of what needs improvement on. And most parents know their own child. So this machine does not instruct nor teach. This machine will monitor that student for who knows how long because the machine has all the students information.
This VDA was presented to Governor DeWine and he feels this will help with instruction of a student. The VDA’s were to be in the Exam stations to do before they drive, and when they go in to test. This makes much more sense. What I do know is schools will have to spend time performing this program taking anywhere up to 20 minutes and then go pick up another student. This will result in a lot of extra time for something that is not part of training. It doesn’t matter how they look at it or want to present it. The cost added could be anywhere up to $50.00 and no one is sure of the exact amount.
Proctoring these VDA’s out to the driving schools will make a huge impact. Schools struggle to meet the demand of their driving as it is; can you imagine the impact the VDA will cause. We don’t get rich being a driving school or an instructor. Adding layers only complicates the process.
When the pilot program (schools volunteered) was on going there was an initial assessment drive before the behind the wheel instruction took place then another after the student had completed the behind the wheel instruction. This gave a baseline assessment and then a measurable metric to gauge improvement and risk also, this did not have to be done on every student. The new rules proposes just one assessment drive which defeats the original intent. As the rule stands it just appears to be a forced obligation with no benefit. Or an open ended obligations that will force the second assessment onto the driving schools later after this rule makes it into 4501.
When the online program was going to be introduced we fought the prior Governor at the time and look where it got us higher fees! Majority of the driving schools are against this rule, we sent in our emails and look, they have still pushed it. The driving schools are not a lobby machine, nor union backed, we are coming to you the people that we serve.
We are asking you the Ohio residents to please call Governor DeWine’s office and sound off for the #DrivingSchoolsofOhio.
We need your help to STOP This proposed rule change that is 4501-7-10(3). Please leave message why you called, if no answer.
Governor DeWine Phone: 614-466-3555 or email (copy and paste)
https://governor.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/governor/contact
Thank you Ohio! It is never too late!