Starting today, aspiring first-time drivers between the ages of 18 and 24 must take a six-hour driver education course before they can receive a license – part of the latest effort in Texas to make roadways safer.

"Everyone benefits from additional education," said Tela Mange, spokeswoman for the Department of Public Safety. "This is another way to keep us safe and careful."

Nearly 20 percent of Texas' car crashes in 2008 involved 18- to 24-year-olds, according to the state transportation department.

And in recent years, safety officials noticed a small but growing number of teens waiting until after their 18th birthday to get a driver's license.

That allowed applicants to avoid the rigorous and potentially expensive driving classes required of those younger than 18, only adding to a prolific problem of dangerous, young drivers. The new law closes that loophole.

"People try to do their best to circumvent the rules, and they cause a horrendous amount of accidents," said Jim Hardin, owner of Coaches' Driving School in Denton. "Imagine giving a 3,000-pound missile to somebody who can't drive."

The state-mandated six-hour course, which costs $35 to $100 based on a check of several driving schools, will cover topics such as rules of the road, highway signs, drunken driving and insurance. Students must pass a written test at the end of the course, in addition to DPS' standard driving-skills exam, before they can receive a license.

That's still much cheaper and less time-consuming than the requirements for those younger than 18. Those teenagers have to take a 32-hour driver education class, along with seven hours behind the wheel. It costs up to $400.

The classroom component often is free at high school, if taught during the day. But most public schools charge $100 to $350 for in-car instruction, according to the Texas Education Agency.

Several driving instructors in the Dallas-Fort Worth area praised the new law, despite some skepticism that there will not be a huge demand.

Anil Agrawal, owner of Desi Driving School in Richardson, said lines are usually crowded with people younger than 18.

"We get kids who are 14 years old wanting to take courses because they are so excited about driving," he said. "We don't see many people wait until 18."

Public safety officials were unsure how many people the law would affect. New Texas residents with a driver's license from another state won't be required to take the course, said Mange, the DPS spokeswoman.

But a spokeswoman for the TEA, which created the course curriculum, said 150 driving schools have signed up for the program. And in areas with lots of immigrants, the new law could have a major impact.

Hardin, the Denton instructor, said that he sees lots of international students from the University of North Texas and that many of them have no prior driving experience.

"Most of them are plenty smart enough to pass the test on their own," he said. "But a little extra help can't hurt."

Under a new state law, driver license applicants between the ages of 18 and 24 must complete an approved driver education course and a driving skills test. Here's a comparison in the rules to get a license for young drivers:

SOURCE: Texas Education Agency