Drivers’ Education: A Benefit to Teens (and Classic Cars)

When I was 14, many of my friends were opting out of taking drivers’ education because they had obtained Kansas Farm Permits. I was jealous, because drivers’ ed. would take away quite a few of my summer hours, and at 14, hanging out with friends at the pool and gym seemed like a better way to spend my time. Besides, I had my first summer job lined up, and I wanted to save enough money to buy my first car, a silver 2001 Audi TT I had spotted on a local dealership’s lot. Spending extra time taking a class would cut into my work schedule and extend the amount of time it would take to earn the money for the car. But my parents insisted that I enroll in the driver’s ed. course before I even so much as looked at purchasing that amazing little convertible. As the class progressed, I realized that learning to drive was more complicated than I had thought, and I began to understand that drivers’ education would not only save on my parents’ insurance costs, but could even help me stay safe. Drivers’ education made me a safter teen driver by allowing me lots of practice, giving me an excellent overview of traffic rules and procedures from an expert, and making me take the act of driving more seriously.

Taking drivers’ education helped me get a lot more practice than I would have if I hadn’t enrolled in the class. In my state, new drivers have to have at least 50 hours of practice driving with an adult (ten of those at night) in order to get an instructional license. Since I was enrolled in the class, many of those hours were accomplished during the class. Also, my driving teacher was a better supervisor than my parents. Although my parents are good drivers, I tended to take his instructions more seriously, and I was more conscious of following the correct driving protocols while with my teacher. The driving class was held during daylight, so I had to ask my parents to ride with me to complete the night-driving hours. I learned quickly that I much preferred having Mr. Crist in the passenger seat than my mom or dad. I believe that the more practice a person has at any skill, the better he will become, and so all of that supervised practice improved my skill levels and prepared me for unusual traffic situations I might encounter.

The driver’s education class taught me about traffic rules and procedures. The teacher, Mr. Crist, is a trained driving instructor, and he was well-versed on traffic laws, whereas my parents hadn’t brushed up on them for quite a while. One important rule I learned is the two-second rule. Mr. Crist told me that when I am following another vehicle, I should pick a point, such as a tree or building, up ahead. From the time that the car I am following passes that point, I should be able to count off at least two seconds before I get to the same tree or building. I also learned about the four-way stop procedure. Many people know that whoever arrives at the four-way stop gets to go first. But what happens when two cars arrive at exactly the same time? Mr. Crist told me that the car to the right gets to go first. Another skill I picked up was the art of parallel parking, to the point where I am actually better at it than my parents!

Perhaps the most important benefit of taking a driver’s education is that it helped me take the act of driving more seriously. Many of my friends who obtained the driving permit without taking the class seem to be lax on following rules. They tend to joke around a lot and even make fun of those of us who are trying to follow safety guidelines. Two of those boys were involved in a serious accident during our prom parade. At our school, all of the juniors and seniors try to rent or borrow really nice cars for the prom parade. For example, one of my friends borrowed a vintage T-Bucket, another guy rented a Grand Torino, and a senior had a classic Mustang. I knew we were getting too close to each other during the parade – we sure weren’t following the two-second rule. I decided to pull out of the parade and let the rest of the cars go on ahead. I did so just in time! Although no one was hurt, one guy was driving his grandpa’s valuable classic Ford and rear-ended another car. The classic Ford was destroyed! This poor teenager had forgotten that older cars don’t have the same sensitive brakes that newer ones have, and if he had been following the rule that I learned in drivers’ ed., he would have avoided ruining his grandpa’s precious car.

Despite my initial complaining, I am glad I enrolled in drivers’ ed. The class gave me valuable practice, knowledge of traffic rules, and a more serious mindset toward the act of driving. Even though I didn’t get to work quite as many hours at my job that summer, I eventually saved up enough to buy that silver Audi TT. If I continue to follow the steps I learned in that class, I am confident that my car will last a long time — maybe even become a classic!