(a) The department shall establish standards for an approved motorcycle rider education instructor preparation course. Successful completion of the course shall require the participant to demonstrate knowledge of the course material, knowledge of safe motorcycle operating practices, and the necessary aptitude for instructing students.

Terms Used In Tennessee Code 55-51-103

  • Department: means the department of safety. See Tennessee Code 55-51-101
  • Driver: means :
    (A) For purposes of a conventionally operated vehicle, every person who drives or is in actual physical control of a vehicle. See Tennessee Code 55-8-101
  • Operator: means :
    (A) For purposes of a conventionally operated vehicle, every person, other than a chauffeur, who drives or is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle upon a highway or who is exercising control over or steering a vehicle being towed by a motor vehicle. See Tennessee Code 55-8-101
  • Record: means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in a perceivable form. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b) The department shall establish minimum requirements for the qualification of a rider education instructor. The minimum requirements shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(1) The instructor must have a high school diploma or its equivalent;
(2) The instructor must be at least eighteen (18) years of age and must hold a valid motorcycle operator‘s license or endorsement;
(3) The instructor must have at least two (2) years of recent motorcycle riding experience;
(4) The instructor’s driver license must not have been suspended or revoked at any time during the preceding two (2) years;
(5) The instructor must not have any convictions for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs during the preceding five (5) years;
(6) Instructors who are licensed in other states must furnish certified copies of their driving records to the department. An applicant shall not be eligible for instructor status until the applicant’s driving record for the preceding five (5) years is furnished; and
(7) The instructor must have an approved instructor certificate that may be a state or motorcycle safety foundation certificate, and the instructor must be registered as a currently active instructor.