Many arguments have been brought up about the need to increase the legal driving age due to the number of teens who are in a crash within their first few years on the road. Typically, in their first year driving, teens are ten times more likely to be in a crash. This includes about 20% of high school juniors reported as being in a crash over the past year.
Should Driving Classes Improve?
The number of driving classes required in order for a teen to gain their initial temporary permit is not much compared to what they have to do in order to complete the preparation for a license. Over half of all teenagers turn to their parents for driving lessons and practice on the road. However, there are many lessons that may slide through the cracks during these lessons, especially since many of these trips on the road may not be included in some of the places where it is most difficult to drive, or where traffic is the hardest to manage.
In Addition to Beginner Driving Schools
It is important to know that the fatality rate among drivers ranges by age. With over 214 million licensed drivers in the United States, it is important to know that fatality among the ages of 16 to 19 is four times higher than that of drivers from 25 to 69.
Some of those driving classes that are so essential to the initial temporary permit, there is much to gain from additional driving lessons. Some of these may be enough to complete the first level of driving school but there are also needs that may help to eliminate some of the crashes that so often occur with the youngest drivers. While you may have completed the beginner driving courses, there is much more that could help to keep young drivers or even those that need additional training. Some of those classes may include:
- Defensive driving school
- Traffic lessons
- Driving safety school
There is a great deal of improvement needed for either the first set of driving lessons while it could also be increased for those drivers who have received citations for accidents and speeding. A great deal can be taught in regards to defensive driving as well as the management of high-traffic situations and other dense settings. With so much trouble that can be faced when driving, lives could be saved with better driving, fewer drivers, or even the increased of shared commutes and the use of local transportation. With so many people who drive alone to work every day the improvement of highway safety could come with the improvement of driving classes overall.