This article posted: Wednesday, 16-Oct-2002 23:40:46 EDT
Driver Education - What is it
really?
By Tim Howson
Driver Education is a term which is widely used and yet
poorly understood.
Many people fail to understand the objectives or the
purpose of a complete driver education program.The idea that taking a few
driving lessons will save some insurance
dollars and help a student get past the dreaded drivers test are the main
reasons that people enroll their children in a driver education
program.
Driver education is designed to prepare new drivers with
the tools required in order to drive safely for many years of driving
ahead. When compared to any single
course at a high school level, driver education falls far short.The average driver education program in
Canada is comprised of 25 hours of classroom instruction and 10 hours of
in-car
instruction. This is far less than many
areas in the world which require an average of 100 hours training in order
to
begin driving. The number of collisions
which occur in Canada is seen as normal for new drivers.The chance
of injury and the extreme
financial cost would make this perspective unbelievable at
best.
We allow new drivers to enter a world of vehicles which
becomes more crowded each year, and more dangerous.We allow this with less
training than most
people take for swimming, skiing or music lessons.The cost of driver
education is far less than
even a one year insurance policy.
The average amount of practice that new drivers get with
parents is steadily decreasing due to increased stress and workloads for
parents. It is a known fact that 100 hours of behind the wheel driving is
a minimum
before a new driver can drive alone in todays society.Driver education
provides approximately
10% of this. Most people realize that
skiing, swimming or music lessons are of little use without
practice. Driving is no different.
Driving can and should be fun. If it feels scary then it isnt safe.
Students should start practicing in quiet
areas and proceed slowly to more difficult tasks.Parents should take care
not to suddenly
throw their children into high risk driving situations.Remember that the
skills they learn will be
used a lifetime so help them learn about the car controls and the street
patterns in your area. You can discuss
safe driving with them when you are driving.
It will make you safer and give them the knowledge that you care about
safe driving. For more information about
How to Practice with Your Teen contact us at howson@soonet.ca