(a) The state Board of Education shall establish minimum standards for all driver education courses offered and made available to persons within the state, regardless of whether the courses are offered by public, private, parochial, denominational or commercial schools, but no person shall be permitted to enroll in any driver education course who has a known mental or physical defect that would prevent the person from qualifying for an operator's license, unless the mental or physical defect is controlled or corrected so the person could so qualify.

(b) The minimum standards shall provide at least that:

(1) All driver education courses offered within the state are taught by instructors certified by the state board as qualified for these purposes; and

(2) Each person enrolled in a driver education course shall receive practice driving and observation in a dual control automobile and instruction in at least the following:

(A) Basic and advanced driving techniques, including techniques for handling emergencies;

(B) Traffic regulations and laws of the road as provided in chapter seventeen-c of this code and other applicable state and local laws and ordinances;

(C) Critical mechanical parts of vehicles requiring preventive maintenance for safety;

(D) The vehicle, highway and community features that aid the driver in avoiding crashes; protect him or her and his or her passengers in crashes; and maximize the salvage of the injured;

(E) Signs, signals, highway markings and highway design features which require understanding for safe operation of motor vehicles;

(F) Differences in characteristics of urban and rural driving, including safe use of modern expressways;

(G) Pedestrian safety; and

(H) Motorcycle safety awareness in a program which shall include, but not be limited to, ensuring that the driver has knowledge and awareness of motorcycles sharing the roads of this state for the safety of motorcyclists.

(c) In addition, in driver education courses, participating students shall be encouraged to acquire first aid skills.