Safety school set to double tuition
Speeders may soon be paying a higher price for their lead foot as the city council prepares to double the cost for safe driving school.
In a measure which passed recently on first reading, the board of mayor and aldermen voted to increase tuition for safe driving school from $50 to $100. The increase is the first increase in pricing since the school was first offered in McMinnville four years ago. The increase also comes during a year when a budget crunch and the potential for an increase in city taxes are looming.
The price increase came following a study which showed McMinnville’s price for safety school was one of the lowest in the state in places which offer the alternative. The move would place McMinnville higher than some nearby jurisdictions such as $65 in Cookeville and $80 charged in cases of highway patrol tickets. Murfreesboro charges $125. The state limit which can be charged for safety school is $175.
Safety school is offered to first time and infrequent traffic violators as a means of alternative punishment. The school is mainly used for speeders. Those charged with running a red-light or speeding in a school zone are not eligible for the school. The school is assigned as an option to paying a fine during city court.
According to McMinnville Police Captain Bryan Denton, who usually teaches the class, safety school, even at its new price, is still financially better than the alternative.
“Court costs will run $82 and then you have the fine so the cost of school will usually be less than the ticket,” Denton said. “Plus, when you go to safe driving school, the ticket is dismissed so it doesn’t get sent to the state and in turn doesn’t go to your insurance company.”
Safe driving school lasts about one hour and includes the viewing of a video tape, a question and answer period and an oral test. Those who attend the class are given a certificate at the end of the meeting. The city offers two evening classes and one morning class per month to accommodate most work schedules.