With 6,000 teens killed on the highways each year and more than 300,000 injured, this seems obvious:
Driver's education has long been an afterthought on the academic agenda. As the school year begins, federal and state leaders are rethinking how much sense that really makes.
Of all the classes students take, driver's ed may be the only one designed to keep them alive. Yet the typical course isn't winning raves from accident and safety experts.
The National Transportation Safety Board found in 2005 that the standard course hasn't changed much in 50 years, was designed arbitrarily, and isn't preparing teens for the road.
What's more, the NTSB found, there's never even been a good evaluation of driver's education — leaving schools with little guidance on what to teach and what to require.
Maybe we ought to put driver's ed on the ISTEP-plus agenda.
Comments
I know when I was in high school (over ten years ago), Driver's Ed was taught by members the Phys Ed department for some reason. This meant we were learning "the rules of the road" from people who only had teaching jobs so the school could rationalize paying them for their football/basketball coaching skills. It was the only class (study hall included) in which I could openly take a nap without fear of reprimand.
Today, I'm just happy to be alive...
For those of us who survived the 60's - anyone remember who taught our drivers ed ? I remember taking it (already had the driver's license - took it to get a break on insurance - well, really so my Father would get a break on the insurance - he paid for it) but I can't remember who taught it, ...
Unfortunately, all the classroom instruction in the world won't prepare kids for driving. Experience behind the wheel is the only practical way of learning. While driving doesn't require a terribly high I.Q. it does require a great deal of common sense which we all know usually improves with age.
Kids accident ratios are higher for a lot of reasons but rehashing the drivers ed programs won't help. (unless you can teach maturity and common sense)
Kids (especially boys) will drive too fast and push the boundaries for the same reason they jump ramps on their bikes and skateboard down hand railings....they think they are invincible...
When I was learning to drive (I waited until I was over 20...), a buddy of mine from South Philly offered his advice AND his new car (1972 Olds C/S) to a neophyte...and said he'd teach me to drive.
((What was he thinking?))
MY dad worked 3rd shift a lot and really couldn't, so figured what the hell...
My buddy (Walt) told me "I'm going to teach you to drive DOWN HERE, and if you can drive in South Philly...you can drive damn near ANYWHERE".
And he was right. Learning to navigate one way cobblestone "alleys" with a city BUS behind you in the rain....driving over a ton of railroad tracks at night...talk about challenging (at the time).
It was well worth it...I aced the driving test the first time!
And THEN I went out and bought myself a car...lol!
Never had any trouble driving anywhere..but...the LOOP around D.C. is something you HAVE to experience to believe...nothing will prepare you for THAT...especially at "rush hour"!
Maybe the kids are driving too young...?
Any lesson here can be summed up in THREE words:
Experience
Experience
Experience
But I would add that a course that shows what you "could" expect would be nice...I didn't like finding out the hard way about "surprises" while driving....none of us do.
;)
B.G.