Name: Haleigh Steele
From: Coronado, California
Votes: 0
Is teen driving really that big of a concern? Yes, yes it is.
Currently, the 16-17 age group is at the highest risk for fatal crashes per mile driven. And the 16-19 age group’s fatal crash rate per mile driven is nearly three times the rate of drivers over 20.
In 2023 alone, 5,588 people were either killed or injured in car accidents involving at least one teen driver. With a number like that, teen driving is a very real concern.
That said, there have been efforts and developments to address and prevent risky teen driving. A major development was driver’s ed. Driver’s ed is a program designed to help people understand traffic laws, road safety, and driver responsibilities. Driver’s ed was first introduced in the 1920s, and by the 1930s, it became a required course for new drivers. By the 1950s, schools began implementing the program within their institutions. But, by the 2000s, school budget concerns caused driver’s ed to be primarily offered in private institutions only. With this, the requirements for driver’s ed loosened.
That said, although many believe driver’s ed is an effective way to help reduce accidents and to promote good driving habits, only some states require driver’s ed before getting a driver’s license or permit, and it is still rarely offered at public schools.
I experienced the difference in state requirements when attaining a learner’s permit and a driver’s license. When I turned 15 years old, I lived in Tennessee. In Tennessee, once you turn 15, you can get your learner’s permit. Right and left, my friends began trying to get their permits. I remember a period in time where I felt like all anyone would talk about was their upcoming permit test or the apps they had been using to study. Eventually, people began talking about ways to get around having to study.
At our local DMV, they offered two ways to take the permit test. Either in person or at home with an adult supervising you. Everybody said that the in-person test was way harder than the at-home test. More and more people started taking the at-home test, and eventually, people started sharing how it was easy to cheat on the at-home test. This was because the required adult supervisor could be your parent. So, as long as your parents didn’t see or care that you were cheating, it was quite easy to do. With that, a lot of people started to not even try to learn or memorize the permit test content or road rules.
I was very late in trying to get my permit and didn’t even attempt a permit test until I was 16 and had moved to California. This is when I learned that the DMV requirements differ from state to state.
In Tennessee, teens weren’t required to do anything before taking the permit test. If they wanted to, someone could take a permit test with no knowledge of the rules of the road. This is not the same for California. In California, in order to take the permit test, people must complete a driver’s ed course. They must go to their permit test with the certificate indicating the driver’s ed completion. I found this difference in requirements surprising. The required driver’s ed course wasn’t just a 10-minute video; it was a long and thorough informational course on basically every rule and scenario one should be aware of when driving.
After I completed the driver’s ed course, I was honestly a little bewildered that in Tennessee, the course wasn’t required. By the end of the course, I remember feeling way more confident and educated about the rules of the road, and I couldn’t imagine getting behind a wheel without having learned half the stuff I did from the course.
As of now, there are only 32 states that require driver’s ed before being able to take the written test or driving exam. With this, studies suggest that states requiring driver education for young drivers tend to have lower rates of accidents and traffic violations than states that don’t. It is for this reason that I find it important that more states begin requiring driver’s ed before being able to get a learner’s permit or driver’s license.
That said, for this to take place, driver’s ed must become more accessible. As stated before, the cerriculum was once offered in public schools but is now primarily present in private schools only. With that, though, there have been advancements in online programs. The online programs have become a big help in terms of accessibility, but this is not enough. Oftentimes, these online courses cost anywhere between 35 to 80 dollars. For some families, this is not affordable.
I have many friends who have chosen not to get their permit or license until they are 18 years old in order not to have to pay for the required driver’s education. With that, people are missing out on helpful and even life-saving information and education because they simply cannot afford it. Cost should not be a reason that young drivers don’t get the education they need to help prevent lives being at risk. That is why I find it to be our job as a community to figure out ways to bring back driver’s education in accessible and affordable options. Whether that be in schools or free online courses, this step must be taken to ensure better road safety.
