Driving is the #1 killer of teenagers in the US, between 6000 to 10,000 teens die each year yet parents shop for the cheapest driver education & training they can find. My friend got a job at a cut-rate driving school in CA and they gave him 1 1/2 hours (90 minutes) of instructor training before sending him out to teach teenagers in the car without an instructor's license and before his criminal background check was finished. He couldn't believe how parents just dropped off their children without even meeting the instructor or asking what the training included. My friend also told me that the CA DMV doesn't require instructors to take a drive test to prove that they know how to drive. There was another instructor at this cut-rate cheap driving school who had been working there for 3 years and had never taken a teenager on the freeway. He reported this to the DMV Investigations and nothing happened to this school. He was professionally retrained at another, more expensive school.
2007-07-07 21:13:26 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Safety
As an expert driving instructor for 25 years, I feel qualified to answer this question. What happened to this man is the "norm" which makes it difficult for the few good instructors in California.
The reason is that parents don't know any better and they want to save some money. They also think that all driving schools and instructors are the same. They are not!! Don't be fooled!!!
Low-cost driving schools hire low-cost untrained driving instructors and send them out to train our children, it's no wonder that so many teenagers die.
If their child got injured in a serious accident, do you think these same parents would shop for a cheap ambulance, emergency room doctor, orthopedic surgeon, funeral home? Oh and if the parents were being sued, would they hire a discounted fresh-out-of-law-school lawyer to represent them and protect their assets? You know they wouldn't.
Germany requires a minimum of 24 hours of behind-the-wheel training for everyone before they get a license.
Germany has 6.8 driving deaths per 100,000 drivers.
The United States has 17.6 driving deaths per 100,000 drivers.
Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the solution. If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.
Parents also think that since they know how to drive, they can teach their children. Problem with this is the parents teach their children all of their own bad driving habits, I've seen it happen thousands of times. Knowing how to drive and knowing how to teach driving are completely different.
The reason is money. Hiring a cheap driving instructor can be an expensive proposition.
2007-07-08 16:01:56 · answer #1 · answered by John C 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Driver's education isn't the problem teens nowadays lack common sense, and have way to many distractions. Take their cell phones, cd's, and friends out of the car and they will do much better.
As for driver's ed instructors you get what you pay for though. Look for an accredited driver's ed instructor, or ask your local DMV for a list of instructors.
Teens now seem to think they know everything which is what gets them killed. That and their parents buying them expensive sports cars. A teen's first car should be a vehicle that has a 4 cylinder engine, and won't go faster than 65MPH.
2007-07-08 12:45:30 · answer #2 · answered by Bill S 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
To be honest, I don't think it matters.
You kind of learn driving on your own, anyway.
Sure, the instructor teaches you some manuvers, and some basics of driving, but that's it. That's all you need them for.
I personally learned to REALLY drive in my first couple of weeks of having my drivers license (Not my permit) then my 25 required hours with my parents, plus my driving with my instructor.
2007-07-07 21:23:10 · answer #3 · answered by idonnoimconfused 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
HERE IS THE TRUTH,
First, THEIR experience is that this length of the course is sufficient to teach most students the basics of safe driving and prepare them for additional experience with parent supervision. Secondly, making the course longer would raise the cost to THEIR patrons. THEIR goal is to provide a quality program at the lowest possible cost.
2007-07-10 02:27:53 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Driving is not the number 1 killer of teenagers. Automobile accidents is the number1 cause of teenage deaths. There is a difference.
2007-07-08 14:30:36 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
where I live driver ed is taught in school. you dont have to take it but most do. I think it helps some but everybody grows a mind of their own. kids learn alot from the way their parents drive.
2007-07-08 02:56:34 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's sad. And it does produce drivers as the first one who answered your question. He has not been taught properly, and he does not realize there is much more to driving than just operating vehicle controls properly.
As sad as it sounds, it is just natuaral selection doing its job. Children of parents who take driving education seriously have much better odds of surviving, and after several generations only those better drivers will be alive to drive...
2007-07-08 12:36:11 · answer #7 · answered by Misha 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
"It's just a hard-luck life for us?" It just shows you how messed up things are. If parents were informed as you are, things might be different? In all seriousness, HOW MUCH DO PARENTS CARE?
2007-07-13 18:57:07 · answer #8 · answered by Seeker, F.K.A JH da II 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋