New driver-education program brings training directly to Franklin High School

Franklin High School students can now complete their driver-education training without leaving campus, thanks to a partnership with B-SAFE Driving Education. B-SAFE offers classes at Carlisle and Trenton locations and now has partnerships with several high schools, including Franklin, to hold training at high school campuses. There is no cost to the district for this program. 

Ohio requires teens to complete 24 hours of in-class instruction and 8 hours of in-car instruction.

This spring, FHS had two sessions that met after school from Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 2:45 to 7 p.m. for two consecutive weeks. Eight students were served, and while the enrollment was modest, organizers were pleased and expect numbers to grow.

"We knew participation would be lower at first because it's a new program," said the instructor. "As the classes grow, it will be a great opportunity for both students and us."

A summer session is scheduled for June 8-10 and June 15-17 from 8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

Familiarity is a big advantage of offering driver education at a high school site. Students attend class with people they already know, which encourages participation and discussion.

"When students are in their own school, they tend to interact more and ask more questions," the instructor explained. "That interaction helps them learn. In a traditional driving school classroom, students often come from different schools and can be hesitant to speak up during the first week."

The school-based format is convenient for families. Evening classes at driving school locations typically run from 5:15 to 9:30 p.m. and require parents to make separate drop-off and pick-up trips.

During classroom sessions, students learn through instructor-led lessons that begin with basic vehicle controls and familiarization with the car before progressing to rules of the road, roadway conditions, and the impact of weather on driving. Students also learn the effects that emotions, alcohol, and drug use can have on driving performance and safety. Four two-hour sessions of behind-the-wheel instruction take place outside of classroom hours.

B-SAFE Driving Education currently partners with three schools. Officials say school-based driver education programs are becoming increasingly popular and represent a growing trend in driver training.

The classes cost $700 per student, with a $100 deposit and the balance due prior to in-car instruction. Families also have the option to participate in a four-payment plan.

Students often discover that several driving habits passed down from family members don’t align with current safety recommendations or traffic laws.

A lesson that surprises many students involves proper hand placement on the steering wheel. While previous generations commonly learned the 10 and 2 hand placement, modern safety recommendations favor the 9 and 3 or 8 and 4 positions to reduce the risk of injury from airbag deployment.

Speed limit is another common misconception. Students learn that speed limits are legal maximums and that exceeding them—even by a small amount—can result in a traffic citation.

Organizers plan to continue offering three to four school-based classes each year and are prepared to add additional sessions if demand increases and scheduling permits.

Students pictured are from the June 2026 driver-education class.