A Hinsdale-area driving school that operated without a licensed instructor, liability insurance, or a state safety certificate has had its license canceled by the Illinois Secretary of State.

The cancellation matters because Illinois requires teens under 17 to complete 30 hours of classroom instruction and at least six hours of behind-the-wheel training with a licensed instructor before obtaining a driver's license. Students enrolled at the school may not have received the training hours they paid for.

A hearing officer ordered the cancellation on Wednesday, May 7, after owner Bryan Kearney, a Willowbrook resident, failed to appear at an April 23 hearing. The school's formal business name could not be confirmed; it has been reported as "A Responsible Driver" but that could not be independently verified. As of June 25, the school's website was down and its phone number disconnected. Patch reporter David Giuliani, who first reported the cancellation on June 25, could not reach Kearney for comment.

The state built its case over months. Brenda Glahn, an attorney with the Secretary of State's office, documented the violations in a March 2026 report, writing that Kearney "is engaging in reckless behavior that is putting his students and the general public at risk."

Beyond the missing credentials, Glahn's report found Kearney repeatedly falsified student attendance records, listing students as completing required training hours when they had not. The report warned his actions could put poorly trained drivers on public roads.

One incident from the state's investigative record illustrates the pattern. On June 4, 2025, a parent told Hinsdale police she dropped off her daughter for a two-hour class, but no instructor appeared. The school's records still marked 21 of 22 students present. The building's landlord told police Kearney said he had "overslept."

Kearney did attend a March 18 hearing and requested a continuance, saying he needed an attorney. The hearing officer granted the delay. He then skipped the rescheduled April 23 session.

The number of students affected has not been publicly disclosed. Students whose completion records were filed by the now-canceled school can check their eligibility status at apps.ilsos.gov/deccheck or contact the Secretary of State's office.