PA's Careless Drivers Face Compulsory Driver Training Courses

HARRISBURG, PA — Drivers who accumulate six or more points on their licenses or who have been caught excessively speeding soon will be required to take a driver retraining course under a bill Gov. Tom Wolf recently signed into law.

Under the new law, the retraining will serve as a way to reduce points from a driver’s record when points total more than six and when any driver is convicted of driving 31 miles or more over the speed limit.

Additionally, the course will be required when applying for occupational limited or probationary licenses, and will be a condition for license reinstatement if an operator’s license is suspended due to points accumulation or excessive speeding.

Drivers who fail to take the required retraining will have their licenses suspended.

"Experience from other states shows that mandatory driver retraining improves the driving skills of chronic offenders and reduces their rates of recidivism," said Republican state Rep. Tim Hennessey of Montgomery County, who chairs the House Transportation Committee. "Better drivers lead to safer roads for all roadway users."

The law authorizes PennDOT to establish and maintain driver improvement schools throughout the state with the requirement that the curriculum is uniform in all 67 counties. PennDOT also can contract the program out to a third party.

The new law goes into effect in January 2024.