The Traffic Education Office provides information, resources and support to schools, teachers, parents and teens involved in state-approved driver education programs in Montana.
This office also manages the Montana DRIVE Program located in Lewistown. On track since 1979, advanced driving workshops are offered every summer for adult and teen drivers.
Quick Links
Looking for Driver Education for a Teen Driver?
Please contact your local school district to register a teen for a driver education course.
Instructor Login for TEDRS Access
If you need access to the Traffic Education Data & Reporting System (TEDRS), contact LeAnn Haas,
Driver Rehabilitation and the New Driver
This course will provide driving instructors with the tools and knowledge to provide proper screening for students with disabilities, determine if they should be referred to a driver rehabilitation specialist for further evaluation and training to promote their success behind the wheel, as well as how to complete the referral process. This is a great opportunity to expand the services at your driver education program to promote inclusivity and access to driving as a means of independent community mobility for populations with disability.
Montana Traffic Education Pre-Conference information and registration sign-up can be found on our new registration site: https://www.eventcreate.com/e/mttrafficeducationpre-conference2026. This is a separate registration from regular conference attendance. After reviewing the information, call or email us if you have any questions.
State-Approved Driver Education for Montana Teens (14.5 to 19 years of age)
Montana's school districts offer quality state-approved driver education that includes traffic safety, parent/guardian involvement, and Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL). The Traffic Education Unit approves instructors and programs to ensure Montana standards and requirements are met (10.13.3: Program Standards and Course Requirements for Traffic Education).
Teens who successfully complete a state-approved driver education course in Montana have at least:
- 60 hours of traffic education instruction including 6 hours of behind-the-wheel in-traffic instruction (see Curriculum Standards).
- A minimum of 25 days of instruction taught by a state-approved traffic educator.
- The opportunity to study for and take the Learner License knowledge exam and receive a Learner License during the traffic education course.
Download the Montana Traffic Education Standards & Requirements (updated 2017-2019) for detailed information on Montana's traffic education programs.
Looking for a Driver Education Course in Montana?
Teens under the age of 16 who wish to drive must complete a state-approved traffic education course. Teens under the age of 19 can enroll in a state-approved driver education course if they are 14.5 years of age before the course completion date. Districts may prioritize equitable enrollment based on additional criteria such as older students, first come-first serve, or by lottery.
To learn more about registering a teen driver for driver education, please contact your local school district or high school.
Visit Approved High School Driver Education Programs to search for Montana school districts offering driver education. Program dates and traffic education instructors for the current and previous school years are shown.
Graduated Driver Licensing
Montana's GDL law (MCA 61.5.132-135) is a three-step program that reduces the risk while new drivers under age 18 develop and improve their driving skills. Teens still get to drive—with supervision—and gradually gain experience to begin driving on their own, but with restrictions on night driving and passengers.
Young drivers face the highest crash risk in darkness and each teen passenger doubles the crash risk. Safety research is clear that newly licensed drivers should start driving with no young passengers. Learning to drive is a complex, ongoing process that requires responsibility and thousands of miles of practice to develop competence, skill, and judgment. Just like with sports and music, good habits and abilities grow through experience and good coaching.
When teens have their full privilege license, parents should continue to drive with their teen, monitor, model, and enforce the rules, and encourage safe driving habits.
Montana GDL Factsheet & Teen Driving Log
Cooperative Driver Licensing Program (CDTP)
The OPI partners with the Montana Department of Justice, Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) to oversee the Cooperative Driver Testing Program (CDTP), which allows certified teachers to administer driver license tests and issue Learner Licenses (MCA 61-5-110). Traffic education funding from a percentage of driver license fees is reimbursed to schools to partially offset school district driver education expenses. Teens must be at least age 14.5 to take the knowledge exam and receive a Learner License.
Students with Disabilities in Driver Education
This guide to Accommodating Students with Disabilities in Driver Education can help administrators, teachers and parents determine the best situation for a teen driver with physical or mental challenges.
The Informational Guide for Driver Education Instructors who work with Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing Students is also an excellent resource.
Montana's state-approved traffic education instructors are dedicated professionals who are specially trained to offer high-quality driver education and traffic safety training in more than 130 school districts. Driver education teachers use a curriculum with hands-on classroom activities as well as a minimum of six hours behind the wheel.
Driver education instructors are in demand in Montana's cities and towns. Visit the OPI Jobs for Teachers page to find a job or post a job opening for your school district. Download the Montana Traffic Education Teacher Recruitment Guide to encourage teachers in your school to join the profession.
Click HERE for information about the CDTP updates in effect August 2022.
Click HERE for the parent guide to the online application process.
New Driver Educators
Approval & Endorsement
Driver Education Instructor Renewals
Visit the Montana State University-Northern (Havre) website for more information on obtaining the required credits to maintain approval while working toward a traffic education minor.
Earn one college credit by attending and writing a paper on the spring conference of the Montana Traffic Education Association.
Earn one college credit by completing a Montana Drive Workshop and student-teaching the following day.
Cooperative Driver Testing Program (CDTP) Certification
All state-approved traffic educators in Montana must be CDTP-trained and certified. Training is provided at MSU Northern as part of the initial coursework to become a traffic education teacher. Upon hiring by a school district, the instructor and the district must submit two required forms to the MVD/DOJ to be certified to give CDTP tests to students. Contact the Traffic Education office to obtain CDTP certification forms.Montana Traffic Education Association
Teens Register March 2nd!
Spend one day on the closed race track in Lewistown, Montana, and learn life-saving skills to respond safely to driving risks. Since 1979, more than 18,000 drivers have participated in a Montana DRIVE Workshop.
Adult Workshops are scheduled from June 2 to August 14, 2026.
Teen Workshops are scheduled July 6-11, 2026.
Celebrate Teen Driver Safety Day Every Day
Parents & Teens
GDL - Graduated Driver Licensing Law
Distractions
Seat Belts
Crossing Guards
Sharing the Road
Montana/National
Schools with Driver Education Websites
Check out the GEMS Data Warehouse, Traffic Education Dashboard, Data from the Traffic Education Year-End Report
Traffic Education Forms
- TEDRS User Guide Presentation
- TE01 District Application for Program Approval
- TE02 School/Dealer Vehicle Use Agreement
- TE03 Certification Signature Sheet for Student List
- TE04 Traffic Education Student List
- TE05 Application for Approval as a Teacher of Traffic Education (Online form under teacher renewals.)
- TE06 Year-End Report
- In Case of Accident Form
- Vehicle Inspection Form
Traffic Education Reports
Visit GEMS for comprehensive data regarding traffic education programs in Montana.
2025 Reimbursement $153.55 per student.
Reimbursements to School Districts in September 2025:
The traffic education curriculum modules distributed by the Office of Public Instruction meet the Montana traffic education standards and benchmarks described in the Curriculum Guide for Teen Driver Education and Training. Refer to the Curriculum Modules Guide for a description of all curriculum modules and how to integrate with behind-the-wheel instruction.
Check back often to download the latest updates. Please let us know if you have any problems or long delays when trying to access these files.
- About the PDF versions: The PDF versions of the PowerPoint files must be downloaded to your computer for quick video playback. Most files are in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format. Download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader if you need it. Factsheets with related worksheets are combined into one file. The lesson plans have been removed; we recommend using the PDF versions of the PowerPoint files for presenter notes or view them in your PowerPoint program.
- About the videos: Visit the new OPI Traffic Education YouTube channel. All videos that appear in curriculum modules are now in playlists on YouTube. Videos with audio will be closed captioned.
Administration
- MT Traffic Education Curriculum Guide
- Curriculum Modules List
- Classroom and BTW Lessons Scope and Sequence
- Behind-the-Wheel Instruction Guide 2017 — includes a section on evaluating teen drivers' performance and progress.
- MT Traffic Education Standards and Requirements for School Districts
- MT Standards for Literacy, Tech and Traffic Education
Research & Resources
- Montana Seat Belt Law handout
- Traffic Education Student Research Topics
- Effect of Passengers on Teen Driver Behavior — NHTSA
- Crash Log and Media Report
- Car Crash Parent Letter Activity
- Driver Ed Classroom Activities - Idaho
- BTW Activities - Idaho
- IIHS in the Classroom — explore free educational resources about the science of car crashes from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Instructional Videos
- Intersection Safety for Motorists, Bicyclists and Pedestrians
- Visit the OPI Traffic Education YouTube channel. All videos that appear in curriculum modules are now in playlists on YouTube. Videos with audio will be closed captioned.
- Understanding Car Crashes: It's Basic Physics! Teacher's Guide for Grades 5-12, Griff Jones, Ph.D.
- Understanding Car Crashes: When Physics Meets Biology, Teacher's Guide for Grades 5-12, Griff Jones, Ph.D.
The Adapted Illustrated Montana Driver Manual is an easy-to-read, illustrated version of the Montana Driver Manual. It can help driver license applicants understand and remember traffic safety laws and regulations that are required to obtain and keep a Montana driver license. Each of the eight chapters includes a practice quiz with an answer key.
The manual (revised 2023) can be downloaded as an Acrobat pdf file (7.5 MB) and viewed on a computer, tablet or smart phone. The free Adobe Acrobat Reader can be downloaded here. Contact the State of Montana Print and Mail to inquire about printing this manual.
From the Introduction: This adapted illustrated driver manual is based on the 2015 Montana Driver Manual published and distributed by the Motor Vehicle Division of the Montana Department of Justice. The adapted manual is organized and presented in a clear and easy-to-read format with graphics and images.
In addition to helping new drivers learn the rules of the road and pass the test for a first Montana driver license, the Adapted Illustrated Montana Driver Manual includes positive encouragement to drive without distractions and impairment, to share the road safely, and to always buckle up.
First published in 1971, this manual has been updated and republished four times, including this 2018 edition, which includes minor changes reflecting new motor vehicle laws passed by the 2017 Legislature. Contact the Traffic Education Office with any questions or comments about the Adapted Manual.
In 2016, every public library and most high school libraries received a copy of the manual.
Download a copy of the latest Montana Driver Manual published by the MT Department of Justice (as of 6/24/22 the latest version was published in October 2018).
Listen to the Audio Version!
Volunteers at the Montana Talking Book Library completed a recording of this manual in January 2017. Click on the sections/chapters below to open the Windows Media Player (.wav) files and listen while viewing the corresponding sections of the manual.
- Contents and Introduction (7:09)
- Chapter 1 – The Driver License (19:51)
- Chapter 2 – Motor Vehicle Equipment (23:40)
- Chapter 3 – Signs, Signals and Markings (52:34)
- Chapter 4 – Driving Rules (44:48)
- Chapter 5 – Driving Safely (38:16)
- Chapter 6 – Safe Driver Readiness (17:27)
- Chapter 7 – Emergencies and Collisions (25:18)
- Chapter 8 – Driving Records and Penalties (12:32)
- Glossary of Terms (25:36)
- True Statements Review (4:51)
- Acknowledgements (6:37)
Contact the Traffic Education Office if you have problems or need to request the audio version on a flash drive. The Office of Public Instruction is indebted to the Montana State Library and many volunteers who clearly and accurately read the 140-page manual to produce this audio version of the Adapted Illustrated Montana Driver Manual.