ALBANY — Driving schools in jeopardy of losing business are raising safety concerns about the potential of new driver's license applicants being able to take their preparatory classes online.

The warning comes as Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo is considering signing legislation that would allow New Yorkers applying for a driver's license to complete required driver training and highway safety courses on the internet.

The five-hour program is currently required to be taken in person and covers the highway transportation system and issues such as the effects of impaired driving.

Stephen Walling, who owns a driving school in Westchester County, believes the program is more meaningful in a classroom setting, especially when young drivers hear anecdotes about the risks on the road.

"When they hear these life stories from people sitting right next to them, it's really a life-changing moment," Walling said.

The proposal is not revolutionary, as at least 13 states allow online instruction. Additionally, New York would continue to require applicants under the age of 18 complete at least 50 hours of supervised driving practice.

Walling questions whether students would be as engaged in an online class, but the memorandum accompanying the legislation contends that participation in online courses is easier to monitor than classroom settings.

Instead of potentially rolling out online classes across the state, Walling said a limited pilot program should be implemented to gauge the effect of an online option. If enacted, the legislation requires the state to complete an analysis of the online program.

While the proposal was approved without opposition in the state Legislature, at least some legislators are rethinking their support. Assemblyman Kevin Byrne, a Putnam County Republican, wrote to the governor after hearing from Walling about the proposal's "unintended consequences."

John Corlett, the government relations director for AAA Northeast, thinks the program is worth trying and maintains that it wouldn't be much different from other online safety classes that are available, including courses used to lower insurance premiums.

If enacted, Corlett said AAA, which already offers the five-hour classroom experience, may get into the online business in New York.

Sen. Tim Kennedy, a Buffalo-area Democrat who carries the bill, said in a statement that an online class will make the training easier to access. He stressed that the proposal wouldn't eliminate the need for a driver's license applicant to pass a road test.

"It would create a new opportunity for working class New Yorkers who may be limited by in-person attendance, be it for employment, geographic, or personal reasons," Kennedy said.

Walling dismissed that argument, saying the class is "not a big commitment" of time.

The bill is expected to be signed by the governor, according to Kennedy and Corlett.

David.Lombardo@timesunion.com - 518.454.5427 - @poozer87