a. An approved motor vehicle defensive driving course shall include that number of hours of classroom or field driving instruction, or both, as the Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles may by regulation prescribe. The director may adopt such other requirements concerning the subject matter and contents of courses, and school and instructor qualifications, as he may from time to time deem appropriate.

The director shall approve any motor vehicle defensive driving course which meets or exceeds the standards of the National Safety Council’s defensive driving course.

b. The provisions of this section shall not apply to driver training courses offered by driving schools pursuant to P.L.1951, c.216 (C. 39:12-1 et seq.), public, parochial or private school driving education courses, or to a Division of Motor Vehicles Driver Improvement Program required pursuant to P.L.1969, c.261 (C. 39:5-30.2 et seq.).

c. The Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles may promulgate rules and regulations, pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C. 52:14B-1 et seq.), that he deems necessary to effectuate the purposes of this section.

L.1990,c.8,s.55.