09/06/2026
REAL MICHIGAN PROBLEMS: DRIVER EDUCATION
Michigan needs more Driver Education instructors.
But instead of making it easier for qualified people to enter the field, we’ve built a system that makes it expensive, slow, and unnecessarily difficult.
Today, becoming a Driver Education instructor in Michigan can cost roughly $3,500-$5,000.
It requires about 180 hours of training.
And there are only four approved instructor training agencies in the entire state.
That means limited classes, long waits, and fewer people making it through the process.
Then once a provider is operating, the state can assess fines of up to $1,000 per violation.
Not per investigation.
Per “violation”. A violation can include facing students towards each other for discussion. Imagine that $1000 per chair facing a classmate.
There are also additional penalties for operating without having your schools certification in order, including a possible $2,000 fine plus $100 per day.
I believe in standards.
I believe in accountability.
We are putting teenagers behind the wheel of a car, so there absolutely should be rules.
But there is a difference between good oversight and a regulatory system that makes people decide the job simply isn’t worth it.
And then families feel the consequences:
Fewer instructors.
Longer wait lists.
Higher prices.
Fewer class options.
And in some parts of Michigan, families are driving significant distances just to find an available class.
We don’t have a shortage of kids who need Driver Education.
We have a system that makes it too hard to find the people willing to teach them.
That’s a real Michigan problem.
Problems are only problems until you create a solution. Leadership demands solutions.
