Assembly Bill No. 128–Assemblymen Gibbons, Parks, Anderson, Collins, Geddes, Goldwater, Griffin, Gustavson, Hettrick, Leslie, Mabey, Oceguera and Sherer

 

February 13, 2003

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Joint Sponsors: Senators Coffin, Mathews,
Schneider, Shaffer and Wiener

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Referred to Committee on Transportation

 

SUMMARY—Provides for issuance of driver’s license with designation “Defensive Driver.” (BDR 43‑749)

 

FISCAL NOTE:  Effect on Local Government: No.

                           Effect on the State: Yes.

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

AN ACT relating to drivers’ licenses; requiring the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue driver’s licenses with the designation “Defensive Driver” to otherwise qualified applicants who have passed a course in defensive driving approved by the Department; providing standards for the approval of such courses; requiring the Department to conduct a study of the feasibility of contracting with licensed schools for training drivers to administer driving tests required for certain drivers’ licenses; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

1-1  Section 1. Chapter 483 of NRS is hereby amended by adding

1-2  thereto a new section to read as follows:

1-3  1.  The Department shall issue a driver’s license with a

1-4  specially colored background to any person who otherwise

1-5  qualifies for a driver’s license pursuant to the provisions of this

2-1  chapter and who submits to the Department evidence in a form

2-2  satisfactory to the Department that the person has passed a course

2-3  in defensive driving approved by the Department. The Department

2-4  shall include the words “Defensive Driver” prominently on the

2-5  front of such a license.

2-6  2.  The Department shall not approve a course in defensive

2-7  driving for the purposes of this section unless the course is offered

2-8  by a licensed school for training drivers and includes a simulated

2-9  driving examination given in a computer-synthesized, interactive

2-10  simulator that provides:

2-11      (a) Sufficient tactile, visual and aural feedback to create a

2-12  compelling illusion that the driver is actually driving; and

2-13      (b) A sufficient number of situations during the examination

2-14  to test whether the driver can use all the rules for defensive driving

2-15  correctly.

2-16      3.  A simulator used in a defensive driving course must:

2-17      (a) Be equipped with, without limitation, a steering wheel, an

2-18  accelerator, a brake pedal, a parking brake, column-mounted

2-19  directional signaling and transmission shift levers.

2-20      (b) Provide a three-dimensional view from the driver’s point of

2-21  view.

2-22      (c) Simulate various types of obstacles and road conditions,

2-23  including, without limitation, dry, wet and icy roads.

2-24      (d) Take into account factors relating to the operation of a

2-25  motor vehicle, including, without limitation, suspension-spring

2-26  coefficients and dampening factors, drivetrain torque curve, tire-

2-27  patch dynamics, vehicle mass and center of gravity. The simulator

2-28  may, but is not required to, provide actual physical movement.

2-29      4.  The Department shall, in conjunction with the

2-30  Commissioner of Insurance, encourage insurers that provide

2-31  automobile insurance in this state to provide discounts or other

2-32  incentives to drivers who hold a driver’s license with the

2-33  designation “Defensive Driver” issued pursuant to this section.

2-34      Sec. 2.  NRS 483.020 is hereby amended to read as follows:

2-35      483.020  As used in NRS 483.010 to 483.630, inclusive, and

2-36  section 1 of this act, unless the context otherwise requires, the

2-37  words and terms defined in NRS 483.030 to 483.190, inclusive,

2-38  have the meanings ascribed to them in those sections.

2-39      Sec. 3.  NRS 483.255 is hereby amended to read as follows:

2-40      483.255  The Department shall adopt regulations that set forth

2-41  the number of hours of training which a person whose age is less

2-42  than 18 years must complete in a course provided by a school for

2-43  training drivers to be issued a license pursuant to sub-subparagraph

2-44  (II) of subparagraph (1) of paragraph (d) of subsection 1 of NRS

2-45  483.250. The regulations must require that the number of hours that

3-1  must be completed by such a person be comparable to the number of

3-2  hours of instruction which would be required of such a person if he

3-3  completed his training in a course provided pursuant to NRS

3-4  389.090[.] , except that, for the purpose of complying with those

3-5  regulations, each hour completed by a pupil in a simulator used in

3-6  a defensive driving course that is offered by a licensed school for

3-7  training drivers and approved by the Department pursuant to

3-8  section 1 of this act shall be deemed to be the equivalent of 1 hour

3-9  of training in a motor vehicle.

3-10      Sec. 4.  The Department of Motor Vehicles shall conduct a

3-11  study of the feasibility and desirability of contracting with licensed

3-12  schools for training drivers to administer driving tests of applicants

3-13  for a Class C driver’s license. The Department shall consider in the

3-14  study whether a simulator used in a course of defensive driving

3-15  approved by the Department pursuant to section 1 of this act should

3-16  be used for such a driving test, or for any part thereof. The

3-17  Department shall submit a report of the results of the study and any

3-18  recommended legislation to the Director of the Legislative Counsel

3-19  Bureau for presentation to the 73rd Session of the Legislature.

 

3-20  H