R708-2-14. Classroom and Behind-The-Wheel Instruction

(1) Classroom instruction for students shall meet or exceed 18 hours and shall be conducted in not less than nine separate class sessions on nine separate days of two hours per class. Each classroom session shall be numbered to be identified on the student record. Classroom curriculum may not be repeated in any of the nine sessions provided to a student except in the form of a review of materials covered in a previous classroom session.

(a) The time frame allotted for review is not to exceed 10 ten minutes per classroom session. Not more than five of the classroom hours may be devoted to showing slides or films. Instructors shall not use or do anything that may distract their attention away from the classroom instruction,. For example, use of phones or other electronic devices, reading, sleeping, or helping walk-in customers while conducting any classroom training.

(b) Classroom instruction shall cover the following areas:

(i) attitudes and physical characteristics of drivers;

(ii) driving laws with special emphasis on Utah law;

(iii) driving in urban, suburban, and rural areas;

(iv) driving on freeways;

(v) basic maintenance of the motor vehicle;

(vi) affect of drugs and alcohol on driving;

(vii) motorcycles, bicycles, trucks, and pedestrian's in traffic;

(viii) driving skills;

(ix) Utah's motor vehicle laws regarding financial responsibility and no fault insurance, and a driver's responsibility when involved in an accident; and

(x) suspension or revocation of a driver license.

(2) Behind-the-wheel includes instruction a student receives while driving a commercial driver training vehicle or while operating a driving simulator. Instruction shall include a minimum of six hours of instruction in a dual-control vehicle with a licensed instructor. Each student shall be limited to a maximum of two hours of behind-the-wheel instruction per day. An instructor may not conduct more than ten hours of behind-the-wheel instruction within a period of 24 hours and must have at least eight consecutive hours of off-duty time between each ten hour shift.

(a) The instructor and no more than one student shall occupy the front seat of the vehicle. Under no circumstances shall there be more than five individuals in the vehicle. Instructors shall not use or do anything that may distract their attention away from the student driver. Instructors may not use cellular phones or other electronic devices, read, sleep, or engage in other similar distracting behaviors while conducting behind-the-wheel training.

(b) behind-the-wheel instruction shall include student practice in using vehicle controls to start, shift gears, make right and left turns, stop, backup, and park. This instruction shall begin under relatively simple conditions and progress until the student has acquired reasonable skill in operating the vehicle under varying traffic conditions;

(c) students shall receive experience in driving on urban streets, open highways, or freeways. Behind-the-wheel instruction shall include the experience of driving under variable conditions which may be used by the instructor at different times of the day and year. Special emphasis should be given to teaching students to show courtesy to other drivers and pedestrians;

(d) students may receive behind-the-wheel training in a driving simulator. If the simulator is fully interactive the student will receive behind-the-wheel training in the ratio of two hours driving the simulator and receive one hour of behind-the-wheel driving. If the simulator is non-fully interactive the student will receive behind-the-wheel training in the ratio of four hours driving the simulators and receive one hour of behind-the-wheel driving. An instructor shall be present at all times during all simulator training. The division shall approve all simulators prior to training.

(e) each student will be limited to a maximum of either two hours of behind-the-wheel instruction or two hours of simulation instruction per day;

(f) students shall receive a minimum of six hours of observation time to observe the instructor, other student drivers and other road users. This instruction may include instructor demonstrations, for which hour for hour credit will be given, and may not exceed two hours per day. Students observing from the rear seat, as well as the student driver, should benefit from time in the vehicle. The instructor's role is not merely to provide driving experience for the student behind-the-wheel, but to make the vehicle a practical classroom on wheels where all students may learn about the problems which face a driver and the appropriate solution to such problems;

(g) behind-the-wheel instruction may not be conducted for a student unless the student has been issued a learner permit by the division or the student is in possession of a valid Utah driver license, a temporary permit issued by the division, or a valid out of state or out of country driver license; and

(h) while conducting behind-the-wheel instruction, students and instructors shall adhere to any driving restrictions listed on the learner permit.

(3) All classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction shall be conducted by an individual who is licensed as a commercial driver training school instructor as specified in Rule R708-2.

(a) Unless the division grants approval to a commercial driver training school to provide classroom instruction from an unlicensed expert, such as a police officer on a limited basis, the school may not conduct classroom or behind-the-wheel instruction or allow another individual to conduct classroom or behind-the-wheel instruction without an instructors license.

(4) Commercial driver training schools shall provide each student a copy of the current Utah Driver Handbook. The handbook may not be used as the sole text of the course, but as an essential aid when Utah traffic laws are studied. Handbooks may be obtained by the commercial driver training schools from the division.