Why our current driver education system is killing our drivers

Roads are a warzone and cars are the weapons. If a driver doesn’t know how to properly operate their car they can create accidents, road hazards, harm, and even take lives. Millions of people lose their lives every day in road-related accidents, and we see accidents and bad drivers all the time. You could blame many factors but it all leads back to one main cause, Driver Education. Our current driver’s education is not education our drivers as much as it should, and we have the resources to improve upon it in order to reduce accidents and tickets.

Driver education refers to the methods and schools used to teach students how to drive so they may receive their driver’s license. Much of driver’s ed in the United States is taught through school programs, but there are also stand-alone driving schools that will educate students for a price. I believe that neither option of schools has a good enough system for teaching these students how to drive on our chaotic roads. These schools need to be strengthened and made a lot more difficult, we are teaching people to operate heavy machinery with the power to cause a lot of destruction. If these vehicles can’t be handled very well why should we allow unexperienced drivers to operate them?

Driver’s ed is very important in our lives as it entails all of the basics of operating a motor vehicle. This includes things like basic operation of the vehicle, basic road and safety knowledge, and very few other basic things that anyone could figure out within a week of driving. But, it should focus on also incorporating other methods into the structure, like advanced vehicle operation, basic defensive driving, knowledge of all road and safety rules, simple repairs and maintenance, anti-distraction training, different vehicle styles and how to use them, and so much more; this way people understand what to do in more urgent situations. We don’t put enough effort into our driver’s ed programs right now and this causes plenty of issues that can only do so much against in reducing issues and keeping our drivers and even pedestrians safe from speeding hunks of metal hurling around at high speeds.

I find it absurd how I was never taught what to do in many emergency situations during any of my time spent in my “driver’s education.” They need to change the ways of these schools’ curriculums urgently. There are so many tools and modern-day technologies we could also implement in the curriculum. A driver right out of driver’s ed will not be able to tell you what to do in the majority of emergent situations you throw at them. To make our roadways safe, we absolutely must improve our driving schools drastically.

There are many ways that we can make our roadways safer. The first one I will talk about is the use of modern-day resources. We live in a time where almost anything can be made to do exactly what we want; the future is now, so we might as well use it to our advantage and save lives. In this day and age, we now have innovations like ‘Driving Simulators’ to our advantage. These are high-tech rigs made with state-of-the-art computers and vehicle controllers connected to sensors and computers to use as input to a simulation to simulate a vehicle as it would operate in real life. These rigs also make use of motors and hydraulics to simulate Force Feedback, which is used to give the user a realistic and more responsive feel to a realistic experience. These sim rigs can range in price and can fit most budgets. Schools need to implement these technologies to engage students and teach them the basics of how to drive in a safe environment. There is no risk in a simulator, making it a very safe and stress-free environment, allowing the student to truly focus and learn from their experiences. Sim Rigs can also be used to simulate emergency situations and teach students muscle memory so they may be able to navigate tricky situations in a pinch. The use of sims could be very beneficial and has already been proven effective by DirtFish Rally School, located in Washington (drive.dirtfish.com). DirtFish is a small school meant for fast-paced, multimedium, high-risk/high-reward, action-packed driving referred to as ‘Rally Racing’. Before they allow students to step into one of their many high performance vehicles, they require that they complete a certain amount of time in the simulators that they have on-site. They do some of their training preparation on these simulators to save their cars some unnecessary wear and tear also. The use of technology has been proven time after time to have positive effects on driver education. As long as it is used to test a student’s ability to perform necessary maneuvers in certain situations.

This brings me to another great point: Defensive Driving. Learning how to use defensive driving is absolutely crucial when it comes to driving. Students should not be allowed to obtain a license or pass driving school without a course in defensive driving. Defensive Driving is essentially the skill of safe driving and knowing how to navigate through tricky situations. These skills are essential to navigating any and all roads. You never know what to expect when driving, so it’s better to expect everything. Being able to maneuver a car defensively to keep yourself and others safe is an essential and valuable skill. Programs that teach defensive driving should be a prerequisite to obtaining a driver’s license. Without these necessary skills, the roads only become more dangerous and it only takes on slip up to cause mass destruction. It’s better to be prepared than not.

This relates to distracted drivers. Distractions are a huge road hazard and take the cake as the number one cause of accidents (GJEL, 2023). Learning how to spot and avoid these drivers can be tricky, but it’s not difficult. But learning how to make you immune to distractions is not easy either. Many argue that removing distracted drivers is impossible as distractions are littered all over the road, but they are incorrect. Distracted driving occurs when a driver’s attention shifts away from their vehicle and what they are doing (CDC, 2022). This becomes very dangerous and causes huge hazards for them and others. Becoming ‘undistractable’ is impossible, but you can become less distracted with proper training. This is another skill that is important to learn. This can be done in many ways and is often taught in the form of racing. Anti-distraction training can be conducted in many ways, but I find that this is another excellent way to incorporate simulators; you can make situations and use them to teach students the dangers of distracted driving and how to avoid them. You can also teach them how to become “distractionless,” as I call it. If we could lessen distractions and prepare students to lock up their phones or give them to a passenger, we could significantly reduce our distracted drivers. Our future drivers need to learn that it can all happen in a second. When you are moving at speeds like this, it only takes a few moments for it all to go sideways.

Something that also relates to distracted driving and defensive driving is our reaction time. Don’t get me wrong, we can’t all have super speedy reaction time, but we can improve upon it. There are many ways to do this, and once again, sim rigs are a great way to do this. The website GrandPrix247 did a report on how F1 racers train, and they stated that:

To excel in Formula 1, drivers must possess lightning-fast reflexes and impeccable hand-eye coordination. They undergo specialized training exercises and use simulators to improve their reaction times and fine-tune their reflexes.

These drills help drivers anticipate and respond swiftly to sudden changes in track conditions and other unpredictable situations.

(Francks, 2023)

To improve our driver’s reaction time and reactions, we can significantly decrease accidents due to unknowingly knowing what to do. This is a big part of defensive driving as the responses are what the defensive training is for, and the reaction time is impaired drastically when distracted. Our students need to learn that when driving, 100% of their attention should be on the road and cars around them.

This transitions to my next point: different-style cars! Or more, in particular, manual-style transmissions. These transmissions, also known as traditional and Stick-Shift, utilize an extra pedal with a different style of gear shifter. You must learn about gears and how a clutch works to drive this transmission style. Understanding the timing of all this is tricky but rewarding; these cars are made, so everything you do must be thought out, and you must move every limb in perfect unison to drive it (driving-tests.org, 2012). It sounds insanely tricky, but if you can learn this skill, you can drive anything, and your knowledge of operating a car increases exponentially. The knowledge of how to drive these cars is essential. Many think it doesn’t make a difference knowing how to drive stick, but within my research, I have concluded that when drivers learn how to drive manual, they learn to keep their focus on the road better while paying attention to the car. This also allows them to be more in control of their vehicle, giving them more options for reacting to certain things. These drivers learn how the car should feel, which gives them a heightened sense of how to operate the vehicle and when and how to maneuver it better. When you need to split your driving between both of your hands and feet, it gives you an increased sense of control over the car. Another positive is that students who learn in these types of vehicles get a better understanding of how the car works, which can increase the student’s knowledge and let them understand what can be good and bad for their car.

When a student gets a better understanding of their car, they can identify problems when they arise. This assists in reducing mechanical failure. Mechanical failure occurs when a part or parts in the vehicle fail to work correctly, and this can cause anywhere from minor issues to total mechanical failure… which is the last thing you want to happen. Major mechanical failure occurs the most when a problem has been ignored or gone unnoticed for too long. To stop this from happening students must learn what could cause long-term issues. This is where the basic understanding of these vehicles comes into play, and learning how to drive a car that makes you pay attention could greatly assist in the students understanding. Basic understanding should be the ability to explain how a car works and operates. This shouldn’t require a degree in Mechanical Engineering because you are not being asked to explain everything. Just the absolute basic idea.

Learning the basic idea of how the car works goes hand in hand with learning basic maintenance. Basic maintenance is a general thing anyone could do without fully understanding cars. This is more to prevent people from putting things where they don’t go or doing simple tasks incorrectly and causing catastrophic damage. Now, I’m not asking for you to become a mechanic, but to know basic fluid changes and things like putting a spare tire on should be taught, just like how they are taught in other countries (We buy any car® blog posts). I learned this from a visit to Greece and my friend, who goes by “Urbie” in my composition 2 class taught by a very wonderful professor at Rowan University. But other things like windshield wiper replacements and other small things should be required. None of these things are complicated, and while they require you to own a few basic tools, it’s not like you will need to perform every operation yourself. We still have mechanic shops.

Now, for a quick jump back, some states require that drivers drive for a certain amount of time with an instructor. This is scary for many and may even be the first time they get in the car to drive on the road. In New Jersey, I was required to complete six hours of driving behind the wheel with a licensed driving instructor (New Jersey Driver’s license application and renewal 2023). I felt the six hours were insufficient; other countries often require much more. My cousin, who was a driving instructor in Australia, informed me they are required to complete eighteen hours before they are allowed to obtain their license. I believe we should require at least 10 here in the states. We need this time to let our drivers experience with someone who has a lot of experience, and the more time spent in the car, the more they can experience for themselves. This is crucial when it comes to new drivers so they may learn more and more and get their defensive driving skills up and reaction times down (the lower, the better).

Returning to defensive driving, defensive driving will help students anticipate drivers’ actions, identify potential hazards, and react proactively to prevent accidents. Teaching them defensive driving techniques is very beneficial in reducing accidents, especially fatal ones. Students with good defensive driving skills reduce the likelihood of accidents and causalities. This can be done in many ways and is generally practiced with verbal, virtual, and physical simulations, and this has a positive effect on students and their ability to perform in tricky situations to avoid dangerous situations. An improved driving school will not only teach its students how to operate a vehicle but they can also emphasize the importance of safe, responsible, and ethical driving behavior.

The importance of safe, responsible, and ethical driving behavior also plays a massive role in driver education. Students need to learn how to drive safely, cautiously, responsibly, and ethically. Speeding down the road at twice the posted speed limit will put you in a very life-threatening situation. Police enforce many rules of the road, so knowing how to be a responsible driver is very important. You must be willing to take responsibility for every action you perform while driving, and this is an important thing that must be taught. Drivers must understand they are in charge of their vehicles, and if they decide to do something illegal or dangerous, they are at fault and risk. An ethical driving course should also be taught; if you have ever been on the highway, you will notice how cars all tend to move at the same speed, more or less. This is called “keeping up with the flow of traffic,” and it is essential. If you cannot keep up, you could also cause hazards. Moving too fast or too slow can be equally dangerous. So, a course that teaches students to drive respectfully and not weave, swerve, speed, or drive recklessly is important. Drive like a human being, this is a road, not a race track. Driving like a “regular” human can vary depending on the area and the standard type of driver in the region, but it should not be too difficult to learn. As long as speed limits are obeyed, and traffic laws are obeyed, you should have no problem. Just go with the flow, but don’t break the rules.

In conclusion, Our current driver’s education is not education our drivers as much as it should, and we have the resources to improve upon it in order to reduce accidents and tickets. So, to make better drivers and fewer accidents, we must redesign our driving school curriculums for the better. We must stop handing licenses to people who don’t understand and still need to learn. We need to educate our drivers to understand and take hold of the concepts of cars and the ways of our roads. We can’t keep rushing students through so they can get on the road. We need to take the time if we want to save lives. It’s a chaotic and deadly place. We cannot keep losing millions a year due to these road-related accidents. So, let’s improve our driver’s education programs and teach people how to drive safely.

References

25, M. R. | O., DirtFish Rally School Media | June 11, 13, D. E. | O., Tara Gee                                          Home. DirtFish. https://drive.dirtfish.com/

Francks, T. (2023, June 15). Formula 1 training guide: All you need to know. GRAND PRIX 247. https://www.grandprix247.com/2023/06/14/formula-1-training-guide-all-you-need-to-know/

Mohn, T. (2019, July 12). Is driver’s ed good enough? most Americans don’t think so. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/tanyamohn/2019/07/11/is-drivers-ed-good-enough-most-americans-dont-think-so/

New Jersey Driver’s license application and renewal 2023. Driving. (n.d.). https://driving-tests.org/new-jersey/drivers-license-guide/#how-to-apply

Top 25 causes of car accidents: Exploring the major factors. GJEL Accident Attorneys. (2023, November 24). https://www.gjel.com/car-accident-lawyers/top-causes-car-accidents

We buy any car® blog posts. How Other Countries Learn to Drive. (n.d.). https://www.webuyanycarusa.com/blogs/view/how_other_countries_learn_to_drive

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, April 26). Distracted driving. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/distracted_driving/index.html

https://driving-tests.org/. (2012, March 28). How to drive a stick shift (manual car) in 9 easy steps. Driving. https://driving-tests.org/beginner-drivers/how-to-drive-a-stick-shift/