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Traffic Safety Education
You may also register by phone at (503) 838-8483 or 1-800-451-5767.
The instructor will NOT be able to register you at the class site.
If you need a duplicate certificate for courses that you or an employee previously completed, please fill out this order form.
NOTE: Courses meet on all dates listed. Unless previously arranged with instructor, participants must attend all course meetings in order to pass the course.
Foundations of Traffic Safety Education - 4 credits (approx. 40 hours) Prerequisite CourseIMPORTANT NOTE: The following items are required to participate in WOU’s Traffic Safety Education courses.
1). In order to participate in course activities, all participants in Foundations of Traffic Safety Education and Fundamentals of Behind-the-Wheel Instruction are required to bring on the first day of class:
2). Participants must also have a USB Flash Drive storage device, with at least 1 GB Memory, in order to access documents at home and in class. Flash drives can be purchased at most general merchandise stores, as well as electronics retailers.
3). Participants must also have a vehicle available for personal use.
Instructors can earn continuing education hours by re-taking any of the original training courses. Please see the recertification policy for more information.
The Traffic Safety Education Program through Western Oregon University (WOU) is funded by a grant from Oregon Department of Transportation. This grant pays tuition expense for residents of Oregon.
Those who are not residents of Oregon have three options for taking WOU’s Traffic Safety Education courses:
2. If you intend to open your own Driver Education school in Oregon, you will need to apply for a Commercial Driver Training School Certificate from DMV prior to taking the Traffic Safety Education courses. A copy of this certificate must be sent to Angela Hendrickson at Western Oregon University.
3. If you live outside Oregon and plan to work outside Oregon, you will be required to pay course tuition of $750 per class, as well as applicable materials expenses for each class.
Note: Registration priority for classes will be awarded to Oregon residents.
Every participant is required to purchase a set of materials ($95 for FTSE, $35 for BTW, and $35 for FOC). Materials from the Foundations course are used in each successive course.
These courses were designed for Oregon Driver Education instructors, and as such, all curriculum materials pertain to Oregon rules and regulations. Instructors will not adapt course material to meet the needs of participants from other states. All course participants, regardless of state of residence, are required to complete the same given assignments in order to earn a passing grade. A certificate of completion for these classes does not verify that a participant is qualified to teach in any other state than Oregon.
* Tuition & Fees are subject to change.
Successful completion certifies individual to be able to instruct in a vehicle.
There is no refund for credit tuition, but by dropping the credit option before the second class meeting, you will have no grade responsibility. Your request must be in writing and signed. Due to the time-sensitive nature, we recommend you fax (503-838-8473) your request to drop the credit option.
Four options to contact us:
There are two divisions of ODOT that play a role in certifying independent schools offering driver education.
1. ODOT/DMV - This division "certifies" commercial driver training schools. This is for the business side of being a driving school. For more information, go to: http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/DMV/dealers/commdrtrnschool.shtml
(Contact: DMV Business Regulations @ 503-945-5052)
2. ODOT/Transportation Safety Division - This division "approves" private schools for teaching novice drivers (15-17 yrs) for driver education. ODOT-TSD coordinates oversight of the approved providers and their programs, in addition to enforcing the statues governing those schools that theach the Oregon approved driver education program. ODOT-TSD Driver Education's website is: http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TS/de.shtml
(Contact: William Warner, Driver Education Program Manager @ 503-986-4413)
Liz Taylor, a WOU Traffic Safety Education Lead Trainer, has been named the 2010 recipient of the Cliff Boyce Teacher of the Year Award, given by the Washington Traffic and Safety Education Association. This award is granted to an exemplary Traffic Safety Education teacher currently engaged in teaching Traffic Safety Education in the classroom, behind-the-wheel or both.
Liz has been teaching traffic safety education for the past 31 years.
She teaches both the classroom and behind-the-wheel segments in private and public sectors, most recently for Lake Stevens High School in Washington State. She has traveled throughout the United States training DE instructors for the National Institute for Driver Behavior, Central Washington University, Montana State University Northern, and Western Oregon University. Liz worked extensively on the development and revision of the Oregon Driver Risk Prevention Student Curriculum and Western Oregon University Teacher Preparation Courses. She has assisted curriculum development teams in Vermont, New Hampshire, Washington and North Dakota.
In her spare time, Liz likes to fish, garden and spend time in the mountains with her husband of 30 years, Gary. They have one grown daughter and a 16-year-old grandson who is chomping at the bit to drive
William “Bill” A. Warner, a driver educator in the Bandon School District, has been named “2008 Teacher of Excellence” by the American Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association and the American Automobile Association. Warner represented Oregon at ADTSEA’s annual conference held earlier this month in Fort Worth, Texas. The award recognizes integrity and excellence in teaching.
Bill Warner, 2008 Teacher of Excellence
In accepting the award, Warner noted several people who have helped him in his efforts not only to educate young drivers and teach them important life skills, but to continue to raise the bar.
“Sometimes we feel helpless to affect the economy, but we are not helpless to improve the ‘economy of safety’ as we promote risk management driver education and safer teen drivers,” Warner said.
Photo: Bill Warner, right, with Dr. William Van Tassel, manager of Driver Training Operations, AAA National Office
Warner, involved in driver education activities at the local, state, regional and national level for the past seven years, started this process by being honored as the Oregon state Driver Education Teacher of the Year, before moving on to the national level. He was first nominated to represent the state by the Oregon Department of Transportation’s Transportation Safety Administrator, Troy E. Costales and Driver Education Program Manager, John L. Harvey. His nomination packet included a portfolio, a 5 minute videotape, and written essay questions.
At the local and state level, he has built a strong network of dedicated professionals and empowered them to share a high drive for academic excellence. He has created a sense of community within driver and traffic safety education that is based on consensus of purposes, and high standards of behavior and academic performance.
Warner has been a driver education instructor since 2001 and is the current Past-President of the Oregon Traffic Safety Education Association as well as the national Secondary Division Chairman for ADTSEA. According to Costales and Harvey, “Bill has brought honor and recognition to the Bandon School District through his hard work and leadership.
“When something needs to be accomplished, Bill Warner is the person who always gets the successful outcomes.”
Rich Hanson, an adjunct instructor for WOU’s Traffic Safety Education program, was named “2006 Teacher of the Year” by the American Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association(ADTSEA) and the American Automobile Association (AAA).
Rich Hanson, on the left, named "2006 Teacher of the Year"
This award was presented at ADTSEA’s annual conference held in August in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The award recognizes integrity and excellence in teaching.
Rich has been a driver education instructor since 2002 and has been highly involved in further developing quality driver education programs throughout the state. He is a valuable asset to WOU’s Traffic Safety Education program and students who take his courses seem to agree!
Photo: Rich Hanson, left, with Dr. William Van Tassel,
manager of Driver Training Operations, AAA National Office.
To see the full ODOT press release, please click here.
Division of Extended Programs (DEP) 1.800.451.5767 or 503.838.8483 V/TTY | or e-mail: extend@wou.edu
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