Beyond the Classroom: Building Better Teen Drivers Through Experience and Support

Some of the people applying for this scholarship are teen drivers. These applicants may be able to offer current insight into what it means to be a teen driver. They may also be able to offer first-hand information about the obstacles they face in these first few years on the road. Others may have been on the road for several years and can critically analyze their experiences. These applicants have gone through relatively current DOT standards. They can provide valuable insight into where the program may have failed to prepare them to operate a vehicle adequately. I have a perspective of teen driving that may be much broader than most.

I have been a driver since I turned sixteen in 1994 and obtained a motorcycle endorsement shortly thereafter. I have also had the opportunity to have one child complete a driver’s education program, and another currently holding an instructional permit, working to log hours behind the wheel and gaining some driving experience before that magic age of 16. These “credentials” may not be all that impressive and do not set me apart from many other drivers on the road. I do have other experiences that set me apart. Between 2000 and 2024, I was a paramedic and firefighter, and I often saw what can happen because of teens or inexperienced drivers. I have also worked within my local school district and have had the opportunity to support a student with learning accommodations as he began the classroom portion of driver’s education. Additionally, I hold a Class B Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) with passenger and school bus endorsements.

According to the CDC, in the United States, the leading cause of death for teens is motor vehicle collisions (CDC, 2024). A second report published by AAA backs up this statement with statistics from 2023 stating that between 2019 and 2023, over 13,000 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers (Howell, 2025). This shows that teen drivers should be a serious public concern. Driver’s education plays a significant role by providing teens with the rules, laws, and concepts of operating a vehicle. These programs are constantly evolving to address changes in laws, advancements in vehicle technical and safety technology, and internal and external distractions that drivers may face. There has been an overall decrease in motor vehicle collision teen deaths since 1975 (Fatality Facts 2022: Teenagers, 2022). The classroom lessons can only go so far. The key is practice, practice, practice. The part of the learning experience that may influence a driver’s ability is combining what was learned in the classroom with behind-the-wheel practice. Here, the student is on the road and applying what they have learned in class. There is usually a limited time with a driving instructor, where the student is given honest, real-time feedback from a certified instructor. This is a driving instruction and should not be viewed as practice. The practice hours they get are by taking the wheel of the family car and driving the streets under the supervision and direction of a parent or an adult family member. It is here where good driving habits are formed and reinforced.

Learning to drive today is far different from when I learned. For myself, the classroom portion of driver’s ed could be taken in a few days in the summer before you turn 16. The classroom was an old gymnasium with folding chairs and a projector. Behind the wheel instruction was cruising the streets in town with the instructor, who was also a coach at the high school, and a couple of classmates in the backseat. Practicing driving meant you drove as much as you could between getting your temps and as soon as you turned 16 and felt ready, you took the driving  test. Now, the classroom is online, self-paced, and in Wisconsin, you can start as soon as you are 15. There are almost 45 hours worth of lessons, and as many quizzes. Behind-the-wheel lessons are structured, and you must sign up a month in advance just to get your minimum number of lessons completed promptly. Moreover, driving practice is logged into an online application that tracks time of day and weather. How we learned to drive is not the most significant difference.

There are several things a new driver must overcome or deal with as they learn to operate a car. Some are under their control, and some are not. New drivers should get as much supervised driving time as they possibly can. Remember, practice, practice, practice? Becoming an expert can take as much as 10,000 hours of practicing a skill (Gladwell, 2008). If you are performing a skill that holds you responsible for your life and the lives of others, why not hold your expectation to be an expert? Today’s teens must deal with far more distractions than a driver learning 30 years ago ever did. When I turned 16, I knew one person with a “car phone”, and that was a parent of a friend. Now, cell phones are in the hands of almost every teen and driver on the road. The distraction of the cell phone exists not just in the learning driver’s car, but in the car of every other driver on the road. The new drivers can limit their distractions, but must understand that they are the only ones with one hundred percent focus on driving. By creating and maintaining good driving habits early, teen drivers can limit distractions and model good behavior to influence their peers.

As a firefighter, I have seen too many times where one lapse in judgment has cost someone their life. I have seen teen drivers who have died while in a rush to get somewhere. A passenger was killed or severely injured because the young driver was knowingly breaking the law, and occupants in other vehicles were killed or injured because of an accident caused by a distracted driver. Creating good habits and sticking to them can help reduce the chances of being distracted by passengers or cellphones, driving beyond your abilities, or taking careless risks. These habits start when you are in that driver’s seat with an experienced driver in the seat next to you as you log those practice hours on the app.

The driver’s education program has done a good job of staying current and teaching the “rights and wrongs”, but once a student is out of driver’s ed and has their license, the responsibility is theirs. This means the best action to improve driver safety must be a collaborative effort between the new drivers and the community. Teen drivers must be responsible for committing to safe driving habits: wearing seatbelts, putting away distractions like cellphones, limiting conversation in the car, avoiding risky behaviors like speeding, and setting good examples for their peers. The community can support young drivers by offering safe driving incentives or programs, encouraging parental involvement, and maintaining safe roadways.

Helping teens become safe and responsible drivers requires more than just passing a test; it demands commitment, experience, and support. As someone who has worn many hats—driver, parent, educator, first responder, and commercial operator—I understand how critical this transitional period is for young drivers. The foundation of safe driving is built not only through formal education but also through repeated, mindful practice and the influence of those who guide them. When teens take ownership of their responsibility behind the wheel and communities actively work to support them, we create a culture of accountability, safety, and care. With shared effort and awareness, we can help ensure that every teen who takes the road does so with the confidence, skills, and judgment to get home safely.

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