Starting January 1, 2024, signing off on driving road tests ends. 

Since May 11, 2020, the Wisconsin’s Department of Transportation made waiving driving tests for 16-17 year olds legal. The ability to waive allowed students to get their license without having to take the road test. 

Surprisingly, acccording to a DMV spokesperson, as of last December students who took the driving test had a 6% higher crash rate and 19% higher conviction rate compared to students who got their tests waived. 

As reported by the DMV, 87% of eligible drivers waived the road test. A Crimson Aviator survey showed that 60% of those eligible driving students at De Pere High School waived their test. 

Many students at DPHS were relieved to find out that they made the cut before January.

Sophomore Hannah Heideman said, “I am really happy that I didn’t have to take the test because the driving instructors have really harsh rules and they are rules that a lot of people don’t follow anyway. If I had to take the test there is a chance that I might have had to redo it.” 

Since the DMV has abolished the program, students who turn 16 after December 31, 2023, must schedule to take their behind the wheel test. Many students are frustrated by this change because it feels unfair to those who have a birthday later than their peers. 

Charlotte Grebinoski states, “My birthday is in May, so this means I have to take the test. Before, I was just going to get it waived, but now I can’t. I am anxious to take this test because they are stricter on the grading. Now I have a higher chance of failing.” 

The new changes also leave Ella Van Ark and others very angry because they started Drivers Ed later than scheduled. 

“I am enraged because I am a bad driver and I don’t want to take the test,” she says, “I originally did not have to take the test because my birthday is in November, but because I started Drivers Ed late, I won’t finish in time to get the test waived.”