FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MVA KICKS OFF 2011 MARYLAND DRIVER CHALLENGE
Maryland Practice Driving Test iPad and iPhone Application Coming Soon!

GLEN BURNIE, MD (September 19, 2011) --- Today the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) kicks off the 2011 Maryland Driver Challenge with a couple of new announcements. In support of the challenge, MVA announces that a new online driver test tutorial is now available on the MVA website at www.mva.maryland.gov.  In addition, a mobile application where drivers can test their driving knowledge by taking the driver test tutorial via a mobile device will also be available for iPhone/iPad users later this week.

The focus of the 2011 Maryland Driver Challenge is to increase awareness about driver safety, educate Maryland families about the rules of the road and the dangers of risky driving behaviors, and prepare our new drivers as they get behind the wheel.  The 2011 Maryland Driver Challenge is designed to encourage parents and teens to test their knowledge of the rules of the road by taking the Maryland Online Driver Test Tutorial.

“Driving is a lifelong learning process,” said MVA Administrator John Kuo.  “With the 2011 Maryland Driver Challenge, we are encouraging people to challenge each other to see who has more driving knowledge:  kids can challenge their parents along with friends and coworkers.” 

The new driver test tutorial is more focused on behaviors that can affect safe operation of a motor vehicle including texting and sharing the road.   It can be used by anyone at anytime to help individuals stay sharp and up-to-date on driver safety knowledge.

“We hope that the addition of the iPhone / iPad app to the iTunes store will make it more convenient to engage not only new drivers, but experienced drivers,” said Kuo.  “Many experienced drivers can benefit from a refresher as driving laws and recommendations are changed every year.  Therefore, I am challenging all Maryland Drivers to take the tutorial-test online and see if they can pass”

The 2011 Maryland Driver Challenge is the capstone on a multi-year overhaul of the driver licensing process in Maryland.  The overhaul has included rewriting the driver education curriculum and regulations to emphasize successful education and public safety strategies; revising the graduated driving licensing laws to raise the provisional driving age to 16 years and 6 months and adding more enforcement for violations; banning texting and handheld cell phone use; adding an on-road component to the driving skills test; rewriting the driver handbook and making it available for download in MP3 format; introducing the new online knowledge tutorial; and beginning in October, administering a completely new 25-question knowledge test reflecting both the new handbook and the new tutorial. 

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