Giving a Green Light to Driver Education

Driver education is paramount in reducing the number of car accidents, as it helps prepare drivers for the realities of the road. I know that my driver education program was extremely helpful to me. I had 24 hours of in-class instruction, which covered everything from the rules of two-way and four-way stops to what to do if you hit a power line. I also had eight hours of behind-the-wheel training with an instructor. This experience was invaluable, as the instructors refined my skills and helped me become a more confident driver.

The most impactful part of my driver education came on one of my supervised drives, when I learned a scary but important lesson. After stopping at a gas station, I was going to make a left turn onto a busy street. I impatiently scanned the seemingly interminable line of cars, waiting for an opening. When I finally spotted a break in the traffic, I said, “Okay, I’m going to go” and took my foot off the brake. My instructor quickly replied, “Wait, you can’t go yet” and pressed the passenger brake. Half a second later, a white pickup truck barreled past me. Had I not been in the car with the instructor, I would have pulled out into the street and hit that truck. My mistake was simple—I had failed to properly check both ways—but it would have resulted in a devastating accident. This memory remains sharp in my mind whenever I go driving, reminding me to always be vigilant of other vehicles.

Unfortunately, many new drivers do not receive the quantity or quality of training that I did. Ten states have no formal driver education requirement, instead requiring a certain number of hours of driving with one’s parents. This is problematic because some parents may be bad drivers or may not tell their child everything they need to know. Of the 40 states that do have a driver education requirement, many do not require behind-the-wheel training. I think that all states should mandate both classroom and behind-the-wheel education from a licensed driving instructor to ensure that drivers get the knowledge and experience they need to be safe on the road.

A good driver education program should cover a variety of topics beyond the basic traffic laws, including distracted driving, using seat belts, and mechanical problems. Many teens are tempted by distractions while driving, and they need to understand how and why to avoid distractions, whether it be texting, eating, or talking on the phone. Another common error teens make is not to wear a seat belt, whether out of forgetfulness or defiance. Although it seems like common sense to wear a seat belt, driver education instructors should explain how seat belts protect people and emphasize the importance of wearing one. Finally, driver ed curriculums should have a section outlining common mechanical problems and how to fix them. Teens should know where the emergency brake and hazard lights are located as well as how to recognize when something is wrong with their car. Mechanical problems are one of the worst things that can happen to a driver, but if teens know what to do when they encounter one, they will be less likely to panic and end up crashing.

In addition, before obtaining their license, teenagers should be required to drive a certain number of hours at night and in inclement weather. Although teenagers would likely have to do this with a parent rather than an instructor, I consider this an extension of driver education because teenagers would have to apply what they learned in the classroom. Night driving is an often overlooked part of driving because people think you can just turn on your headlights and go. However, even with headlights, visibility is not the same as it is during daylight hours. It takes a while to get used to night driving, and it is even more important to avoid speeding because you can’t see hazards as well as you can during the day. It is also important to practice driving in all weather conditions, because driving in heavy rain or snow is much more challenging than driving on a clear day. Teenagers should be proficient at driving on slick surfaces and know how to use the defroster and windshield wipers so that they are able to handle whatever Mother Nature throws at them.

Driver education doesn’t just prevent fender benders and high insurance claims, it saves lives. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, car crashes are the second-leading cause of death among U.S. teens, and individuals ages 16-19 are the highest-risk age group for car crashes. Driver education can mitigate this risk, however, as graduated driver licensing (GDL) systems are associated with a 21% reduction in fatal crashes among 16-year-olds. If driver education prevents someone like me from failing to yield when making a left-hand turn, then it is absolutely worth it. We need to give a green light to driver education to protect both present and future drivers.