Some were angry. Others embarrassed.
One threatened to sue the Deseret News if his name and details of his speeding infraction appeared in print.Another called the query a "witch hunt."
But most drivers education teachers contacted by the Deseret News said that despite the traffic citations on their record, they should be held to a higher standard by practicing what they preach.
"I honestly don't remember that one," said Ross Harris when asked about his 1996 speeding ticket on I-15 near Parowan. A West Bountiful officer also cited the Viewmont head football coach for speeding in 1995 while on his way to a student-teaching workshop at the University of Utah.
"I guess I'm kind of a hypocrite, because I nail the kids, I mean I jump on them, even if they're 5 mph over."
Mark Pierce recalled being embarrassed when an officer pulled him over two years ago near the Salt Lake International Airport for driving 15 mph over the speed limit.
"It was totally my fault and I should have known better," he said.
To satisfy the citation, the Woods Cross High instructor reversed roles and became a student in traffic school. His pride came out intact, he said.
"It was kind of interesting, because they got a guy who made it really entertaining. I even picked up some ideas from him to teach in my classes."
Pierce said the citation made him a better driver.
"You have to look back and say, `You can't be doing that,' " he said. "We are held to a higher standard. Otherwise, how can you set an example if you've got more tickets than the kids you're teaching?"
Not everyone shares Pierce's attitude.
"It's like a lot of other things. We teach in the classroom, we don't put our lives in front of everyone and say `learn from us,' " said Fremont High instructor Fred Thompson, who is also the school's head baseball coach.
"I'm not sure my driving record has anything to do with my ability to teach."
Ironically, Thompson was on his way to teach drivers education when he was pulled over for speeding in 1995. He was going 50 mph in a 40 mph zone.
"I don't think (drivers education teachers) should be scrutinized," said Ben Lomond's Douglas Christensen. "Somebody who gets a speeding ticket doesn't mean they can't be a pretty good drivers ed teacher. It's pretty hard to teach it and then go out to break the rules, but where do you draw the line?"
At least five instructors said they decided to come clean with their students and used their traffic citations as teaching anecdotes.
And like many other drivers cited for moving violations, several driving instructors gave excuses for their actions.
"I think I was arrested falsely. . . . That was the first ticket I've had in 50 years," said Davis High's Gerald Hogge, who added what he does on his own time is his own business.
"Do you know what a speed trap is?" said George Wilkey, Ogden High. Bountiful High tennis and swimming coach Jack Senninger said he was also the victim of such a trap.
Bruce Bitner, Davis High, said he had his foot on the gas pedal in his underpowered truck and kept it there when he reached the top of a hill, where a trooper cited him - his first ticket since 1972.
Robert Banz, North Summit High, said he had no choice but to drive into a ravine after one of his tires burst while driving in Morgan County in 1995. The road was under construction and he would have had to veer into oncoming traffic to stay in his lane, he said.
Despite their feelings about whether anyone else should know about their traffic citations, nearly every teacher had strong feelings about DUI arrests.
"(A DUI) is kind of like the big one. That's the grandmother of all things you could do wrong. You are an example to the students," Bitner said.
"If a drivers ed teacher is caught with a DUI, he should not teach, period. That's it. Speed is a ticket. We all do it. But the DUI, you shouldn't teach if you have that," said Louis Andrus, Lehi High.
But while most of the drivers education teachers agree their driving records should meet a higher standard, many wonder how the State Office of Education can determine a standard that is fair and reasonable.
"Requiring no mistakes is unrealistic. Very few people can go without mistakes. But they (drivers ed teachers) should have driving records in good standing," said Kevin T. Pederson, Provo High.
"Anyone can be in a situation where they won't be aware of the speed limit," added Richard V. Price, Layton High. "I don't know many people in the world that can go a lifetime without receiving a citation."