Commissioner to amend regulations re content of safe driving instruction courses. Attendance by parent or guardian

(a) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall amend the regulations adopted pursuant to sections 14-36f and 14-78 concerning the content of safe driving instruction courses offered at drivers' schools, high schools and other secondary schools to require the eight hours of instruction required by such regulations to include, for applicants to whom a learner's permit or youth instruction permit is issued, two hours of instruction concerning the statutory provisions, including penalties, applicable to drivers who are less than eighteen years of age, the dangers of teenage driving, the cognitive development of adolescents, the responsibilities and liabilities of parents of teenage drivers, and related topics deemed by the commissioner to be appropriate. Such course may be offered in person in a congregate setting, through distance learning or through a combination of both in-person in a congregate setting and distance learning, provided such distance learning is conducted in real-time by an instructor, requires camera use by any applicant and has interactive components such as mandatory interactions, participation or testing. (b) A parent or guardian of any such applicant to whom a learner's permit or youth instruction permit is issued on or after August 1, 2008, who is less than eighteen years of age, shall attend such two hours of instruction with such applicant. Before any such applicant is permitted to take the driver's test, such applicant shall provide an affidavit to the commissioner, signed under penalty of false statement, by an official of the driver's school, high school or other secondary school by which such course was conducted, that a parent or guardian attended the two hours of instruction required by subsection (a) of this section with such applicant.