Kokua Line
Kokua Line
The state Department of Transportation warns parents looking for certified driver education instructors that several companies advertising in the new telephone book are not certified to teach teenagers. Watch for ‘renegade’
driver’s ed teachers"Some that have made this claim have been denied certification by the state because they could not meet the state's requirements for driver education instructors," said DOT spokeswoman Marilyn Kali.
Asked what action is being taken against these companies, Kali said the state Attorney General's Office and the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs are looking into the penalties.
Although "the renegades" have refunded the money, the students have had to go through the course a second time with a certified instructor, she said. It was not known how many students have been affected, although Kali said she had spoken to several dozen parents.
Only certified instructors may issue teens the Driver Education and Behind-the-Wheel Student Completion Certificates they now need in order to take a road test.
Before signing your teen up for lessons, the DOT says parents should ask to see an instructor's driver's education certificate, which has the instructor's photo, dates of the certification and the signature of the state transportation director.
You can also just check the DOT's Web site -- www.state.hi.us/dot/publicaffairs/drivered -- or call 587-2160 to get a list of certified instructors. The list is updated whenever new instructors are certified.
By law, certified instructors cannot charge more than $250 for a 30-hour course or more than $50 an hour for behind-the-wheel instruction. To be certified, an instructor has to take a 104-hour training course, undergo a criminal history record check, comply with all state requirements and have their driver's ed vehicle inspected.
Use old cell phones for 911 calls
Please inform your readers that in most cases, their old cellular phones (even with cellular phone service disconnected) can be used to make emergency 911 calls at any time. They can put the phones to good use by leaving them in their vehicles to call for police, fire or ambulance whenever they're driving around and see a need for help. They can also take it with them jogging, hiking or camping, or give them to their friends and relatives who don't have cellular phones, just in case. But the cell phone battery must be charged or a cigarette lighter adapter plug used in a vehicle in order for the phone to work. -- Ben M.("Generally, that should be true" of all cell phones, confirmed Ann Nishida, of Verizon Hawaii. "As long as the battery is charged and you're within cell site range," you should be able to make a 911 call.)
Mahalo
To Shay of Momilani in Pearl City. One Saturday morning in July, I placed my wallet on top of my car and forgot it was there. I drove off and only later discovered it was gone. I am elderly and was very frightened and nervous about losing my license and credit cards. A couple of hours later, to my surprise, Shay, wearing an HSTA T-shirt, appeared at my house with my wallet. He said he saw it on the road not far from my house, made a U-turn and stopped to pick it up. Everything in it was intact. He wouldn't accept any reward. Thanks to Shay, he turned a bad experience into a good lesson. I will be more careful from now on and am so grateful for his good deed. Fumie Oshiro
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