Covid-19 Guidelines

Tips for COVID-19 Management and Risk Minimization within Driver Education

Administering and conducting driver education courses will not be the same. While we must be prudent today to reduce the risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus, we must also be vigilant in the future to reduce the possibility of a second wave. NDDTSEA offers the following tips:


How we manage driver education courses today and in the future, will have a large impact on the health of the community. By being proactive, we hope to manage the risks.

See checklist for both classroom and BTW. Keep each within reach.

Driver Education Covid-19.docx

Download a Copy of the Guidelines

General Tips for Driver Education

Seek approval from your school district prior to conducting any training.

Proactively and confidentially request that students or parents/guardians or other household members with signs of a fever, coughing and/or shortness of breath to stay home. Anyone exhibiting symptoms should be confidentially asked to return home.

As always, avoid physical contact with students and parents/guardians.

During these times students and parents/guardians may be hyper-sensitive to handshakes.

Thus, do not extend your hands or elbows to welcome them.

Do not joke about the COVID-19 virus. You do not know if one of your students or parents/guardians knows someone with the virus. Keep it serious if the topic comes up.

Keep “social distancing” at all times with both students and parents/guardians.

Have available for you and your students in both classroom and instruction vehicles:

  • Sanitizing wipes

  • Alcohol-based hand sanitizers

Programs are encouraged to consider a more flexible policy for rescheduling students.

Do not conduct classes or BTW lessons if these or the following tips/conditions cannot be met.

Consider the liability issues.

Classroom Tips for Driver Education:

ND DPI’s Smart Restart Guidance

Keep “social distancing” between students when teaching in the classroom.

Limit number of students to maintain social distancing to no more than 14 students and 1 instructor. Maximum of 15 at one time.

Keep a minimum of 6 feet or more between students, as recommended by the CDC to both the sides and forward/backward between rows.

Encourage frequent bathroom breaks for proper handwashing.

Wipe down tables, floor handles, restrooms door handles, sink handles, student, and instructor materials, etc. (everything) regularly and especially before and after classes.

Before classroom instruction begins consider screening instructors and students for COVID-19 symptoms:

  • This could include screening questions, temperature checks and more

  • See the CDC’s COVID-19 symptoms information at: CDC.gov recommendations

  • See ND DPI’s Smart Restart Guidance at: DPI Smart Restart recommendations

Open windows, if possible.

Use disinfectant wipes on:

  • All door handles

  • All desks

  • All light switches

  • Computer, keyboard, and mouse

  • Any other surfaces likely to be touched by instructor or students, also any training devices, i.e. classroom steering wheels

To minimize student congregation:

  • Discourage early arrival of students before classroom sessions begin

  • Encourage students to be picked up upon completion of classroom sessions

  • Modify classroom exercises to ensure appropriate distancing among students.

  • Consider relaxing requirements for rescheduling missed sessions, if appropriate.

Behind-the-Wheel Tips for Driver Education

Require students to wash hands before and after BTW driving sessions.

Encourage frequent bathroom breaks for proper handwashing.

Create, communicate, and execute a plan to maintain social distancing among students arriving/waiting for BTW sessions.

For both instructor and students, provide and use:

  • Hand sanitizer

Before BTW begins, consider screening instructors and students for COVID-19 symptoms:

  • This could include screening questions, temperature checks and more

  • See the CDC’s COVID-19 symptoms information at: CDC.gov recommendations

  • See ND DPI’s Smart Restart Guidance at: DPI Smart Restart recommendations

Schedule at least 15 minutes between BTW sessions and between student drivers in one session to allow time to thoroughly disinfect the training vehicle and bathroom breaks

Use disinfectant wipes on:

  • All door handles

  • All driver and dashboard controls (e.g., switches, dials, buttons)

  • Keys

  • Steering wheel-rim and adjustment levers

  • Gear shift lever

  • Turn signal arm

  • Parking brake lever/button

  • Front and rear safety belts, including latching mechanisms

  • Center console

  • Seats and seat controls

  • Head restraints

  • Mirror controls

  • Any other surfaces likely to be touched by instructor or students

Maximum of 3 people in the vehicle (e.g., 2 students and 1 instructor)

Avoid using air recirculation feature

Windows down to the extent practical.

Consider the liability issues for conducting BTW lessons with the current pandemic.

Classroom Checklist

Use disinfectant wipes on:

  • All door handles

  • All desks

  • All light switches

  • Computer, keyboard and mouse

  • Any surfaces likely to be touched by instructors or students

  • Any training devices, i.e. classroom steering wheels, etc.


Maximum number of people in classroom is 15 (14 students and 1 instructor)

Screen students if School District requests

Maintain 6 feet between students and instructor – front to back and side to side

Encourage students to use hand sanitizers frequently

Open windows if possible

Discourage students gathering together prior to class and after class.

Limit the number of guest speakers onsite or do zoom presentation or presentation outside – following social distance guidelines

Behind-the-Wheel Checklist

Prior to each driving session and in-between drivers during session:

Use disinfectant wipes on:

  • All door handles

  • All driver and dashboard controls (e.g., switches, dials, buttons)

  • Keys

  • Steering wheel-rim and adjustment levers

  • Signal light lever

  • Gear shift lever

  • Turn signal lever

  • Parking brake lever/button

  • Front and rear safety belts, including latching mechanisms

  • Center console

  • Seats and seat controls

  • Head restraints

  • Mirror controls

  • Any surfaces likely to be touched by instructor or students

Maximum of 3 people in vehicle (1 instructor and 2 students)

Screen students if School District requests

Require Instructor and students to wash hands prior to driving

Schedule at least 15 minutes between student drivers during 1 driving session to thoroughly sanitize vehicle

Encourage students to use hand sanitizers frequently

Avoid using the air recirculation feature

Windows down to the extent practicable

Keeping Up to Date

  • Know the protocols of your state.

  • Seek approval from your school district prior to conducting any training.

  • Check frequently for updates form local, state, and federal government agencies/organizations.

  • Additional information can be obtained from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), including steps to limit the spread of COVID-19.

  • As always, the health, safety, and well-being of instructors, students and the community comes first.