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Author	Topic: Save Driver's Ed From Budget Slashing	Post a Reply Back to Topics

PD Moderator	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 9:19:29 AM Ignore PD Report Abuse If you think drivers in your community seem to be worse than years ago, you may be right. It might be that while they may have passed the DMV tests to get a license, they may never have received comprehensive training. How confident are you that other drivers on the roads where you live have received proper driver training? Dan DeWitt, a newspaper columnist for the St. Petersburg Times, wrote something recently that caught my attention. “For years, driver’s education –which included classroom instruction and behind the wheel teaching with simulators and on the road—was offered at all county high schools for a $25 fee. It wasn’t mandatory. But if you graduated from high school in Hernando County there... Visit GasBuddy Blog for full article

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Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 9:19:29 AM

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If you think drivers in your community seem to be worse than years ago, you may be right. It might be that while they may have passed the DMV tests to get a license, they may never have received comprehensive training.

How confident are you that other drivers on the roads where you live have received proper driver training?

Dan DeWitt, a newspaper columnist for the St. Petersburg Times, wrote something recently that caught my attention. “For years, driver’s education –which included classroom instruction and behind the wheel teaching with simulators and on the road—was offered at all county high schools for a $25 fee. It wasn’t mandatory. But if you graduated from high school in Hernando County there...

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clpassenubye Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:3,359 Points:750,755 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Nov 4, 2011 11:35:55 AM Ignore clpassenubye Report Abuse It's too late to save it here its long gone
JLSindy Champion Author Cleveland Posts:3,476 Points:670,340 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Oct 27, 2011 6:35:23 PM Ignore JLSindy Report Abuse I agree with everything everybody says.
gspecilk236 Veteran Author Harrisburg Posts:393 Points:103,935 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Oct 17, 2011 6:59:33 AM Ignore gspecilk236 Report Abuse I received Driver's Education in 1997 for the insurance reduction
kgbellman Champion Author Ann Arbor Posts:2,698 Points:728,915 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Oct 14, 2011 8:22:39 PM Ignore kgbellman Report Abuse Fair enough, but I guess it depends on the state laws and whether they require driver's ed before getting license
VetteBlue Champion Author San Jose Posts:8,023 Points:1,612,720 Joined:Jan 2007	Message Posted: Oct 14, 2011 11:49:45 AM Ignore VetteBlue Report Abuse There are many private companies that do driving training. It does not have to be paid for by the government.
kgbellman Champion Author Ann Arbor Posts:2,698 Points:728,915 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Oct 13, 2011 8:42:55 PM Ignore kgbellman Report Abuse New drivers need some sort of structured training
Teeds Champion Author Dallas Posts:1,255 Points:267,975 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Oct 13, 2011 8:08:51 PM Ignore Teeds Report Abuse Dropped here as well.
GatorGuy Champion Author Columbia Posts:2,220 Points:1,203,735 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Oct 13, 2011 8:05:24 AM Ignore GatorGuy Report Abuse They dropped it from schools here in SC long ago. Not a good thing...and I believe the DMV still requires it, so it's up to families to pony up the $250 for a private course.
N5EXY Champion Author Austin Posts:5,477 Points:1,507,455 Joined:Jul 2004	Message Posted: Oct 13, 2011 7:56:36 AM Ignore N5EXY Report Abuse How many seniors do you know under 70? Oh, that is high school seniors. Philly and Beantown have the worst drivers I ever saw.
torn8owx Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:2,313 Points:577,515 Joined:Feb 2010	Message Posted: Oct 13, 2011 5:25:42 AM Ignore torn8owx Report Abuse How about driver's ed for seniors over 70?
OTISFL Champion Author Pensacola Posts:4,595 Points:862,890 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: Oct 13, 2011 5:00:29 AM Ignore OTISFL Report Abuse Seeing the drivers on the road, I'd say the majority never received any Drivers Ed courses. Scares the crap out of me to get on the road anymore. I learned to drive on the farm, best drivers ed there was.
RogerB Champion Author Indianapolis Posts:18,045 Points:2,621,085 Joined:Dec 2005	Message Posted: Oct 13, 2011 1:37:11 AM Ignore RogerB Report Abuse Driver Ed should be a requirement in every high school as well as shop and home economics. The long term results would be tremendous and very very cost effective. Our school systems are truly screwed up with all this pc crap and our children are not learning anything.
neemund Champion Author Seattle Posts:6,536 Points:1,542,595 Joined:Jan 2007	Message Posted: Oct 13, 2011 12:09:00 AM Ignore neemund Report Abuse None of the schools around here have driver's ed anymore. All drivers schools are privately run and are licensed by the state. Word of mouth travels very quickly as to which schools are better than others.
hobbs517 Sophomore Author Ohio Posts:124 Points:160,185 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 11:42:14 PM Ignore hobbs517 Report Abuse I would just like to say to dirtdauber and roadrunnermo that my parents did teach me how to drive and I still had to pay for drivers ed. And if you want all of the idiot drivers teaching their children how to drive like them then go ahead but I don't want drivers ed budgets slashed bc its costs to much as it is. My brother is getting ready to go into it and we are trying to come up with the $350 freaking dollars that it is going to cost!
wwardyota Champion Author Honolulu Posts:1,451 Points:795,210 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 11:34:08 PM Ignore wwardyota Report Abuse important matters like this fall between the cracks because it only involves the lower-to-middle classes, where aid is not available for training such as this the rich all buy their licenses anyway so even with good drivers on the road (those who took driver's ed), most of the ones who buy their licenses cause accidents, anyway - so driving defensively would help? how about ENFORCING licensing and testing?
vikinglovesjesu Sophomore Author Asheville Posts:150 Points:50,380 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 11:24:50 PM Ignore vikinglovesjesu Report Abuse drivers ed needs to be saved but reformed. our present system is kinda sucky
kd5kpd Champion Author Texas Posts:3,721 Points:1,413,800 Joined:Apr 2006	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 11:22:59 PM Ignore kd5kpd Report Abuse If they cant pass all the test sure dont need a license.
DirtDauber Champion Author San Antonio Posts:6,766 Points:1,624,535 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 11:22:45 PM Ignore DirtDauber Report Abuse Slash it. Let the parents pay for it.
CumminsFanOH Champion Author Columbus Posts:1,670 Points:827,990 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 11:15:02 PM Ignore CumminsFanOH Report Abuse We need tough driver testing in the first place. Then test everybody to start. First time drivers will have to pay for a driver training school or ay for it at school.
roadrunnerMO Champion Author Kansas Posts:8,391 Points:1,696,540 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 11:13:59 PM Ignore roadrunnerMO Report Abuse If parents not going to teach them, then let parents pay for the course...
bettersight Champion Author Oakland Posts:1,116 Points:255,885 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 11:13:58 PM Ignore bettersight Report Abuse ok
Somis1 Champion Author Ventura Posts:13,667 Points:2,611,100 Joined:Jul 2005	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 11:13:14 PM Ignore Somis1 Report Abuse It's a good program, but needs to be done with a dealer donated car, and a small fee to cover fuel and insurance. Presto, no budget issues.
RENEGADEGAS Champion Author Missouri Posts:14,894 Points:1,588,300 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 11:09:53 PM Ignore RENEGADEGAS Report Abuse TBONE3... Very good points. Thats how I learned.
hubcapLA Champion Author Louisiana Posts:3,905 Points:940,435 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 11:07:41 PM Ignore hubcapLA Report Abuse I'm for it all the way
Tundralimited2009 Champion Author Dallas Posts:38,812 Points:1,447,425 Joined:Feb 2009	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 11:04:35 PM Ignore Tundralimited2009 Report Abuse Waste of money
Pozole Champion Author Portland Posts:9,578 Points:1,591,595 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 10:59:37 PM Ignore Pozole Report Abuse ...I still remember hints and cautions from high school driver's ed. in 1965...please learn how to merge, people...should be required to get a license...now let's talk about the idiot militant bicyclists that don't obey ANY rules of the road... [Edited by: Pozole at 10/13/2011 1:03:43 AM EST]
Buddy2264 Champion Author Tampa Posts:11,639 Points:2,357,045 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 10:57:38 PM Ignore Buddy2264 Report Abuse I just took an online drivers safety course, it was very informative.
goldrose1 Champion Author Cleveland Posts:10,926 Points:1,922,555 Joined:Feb 2005	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 10:47:06 PM Ignore goldrose1 Report Abuse My kids took course at HS. And I taught them. (Dad deceased) They learned some things from both places. They drove me everywhere for a long time.
danol43 Champion Author Modesto Posts:1,697 Points:585,930 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 10:45:19 PM Ignore danol43 Report Abuse Schools will use the most visible means possible to attempt to get people to pay more taxes for them to play with. School finance is a HUGE fraud. Waste all over the place.
TBONE3 Champion Author Pennsylvania Posts:8,731 Points:1,973,725 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 10:43:40 PM Ignore TBONE3 Report Abuse Driver's Ed is a very good program as long as the instructors are dedicated to the subject but nothing beats a loving and safety conscientious senior family member as a trainer - mother or father but not a sibling!!
granitestater Champion Author New Hampshire Posts:8,805 Points:1,427,825 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 10:40:54 PM Ignore granitestater Report Abuse We need driver's ed. People are bad enuff now. Take away D.E. And gawd knows how bad the roads will be...
Blue_Cruzer Champion Author Lexington Posts:7,505 Points:1,666,660 Joined:Mar 2007	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 10:39:32 PM Ignore Blue_Cruzer Report Abuse You should not be able to get a drivers license without a comprehensive written, and on the road test. To many drivers around don't know what a turn signal is for.
bobdec Champion Author Miami Posts:8,949 Points:1,766,795 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 10:38:47 PM Ignore bobdec Report Abuse It helps some, but some people will not use what was learned
Wierbe Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:3,737 Points:1,116,190 Joined:Apr 2006	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 10:35:37 PM Ignore Wierbe Report Abuse I had my first driver's ed on the road after I got my license - back in the day.
TekWare Champion Author Toronto Posts:3,146 Points:669,525 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 10:34:25 PM Ignore TekWare Report Abuse We had Driver's Ed in high school.
bluetatanka Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:55,589 Points:777,830 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 10:32:34 PM Ignore bluetatanka Report Abuse Heartbroken2010 sums it up nicely, "Driver's Ed in no way equals experience behind the wheel."
kj71TX Sophomore Author Texas Posts:240 Points:31,820 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 10:30:38 PM Ignore kj71TX Report Abuse Drivers Ed should be offered in all high schools.
Nippor Champion Author California Posts:2,506 Points:447,790 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 10:29:59 PM Ignore Nippor Report Abuse There are good and bad Driver's Ed instructors, there were good and bad DE instructors in the public schools, and even parents are not all the greatest at instructing Driver's Ed. My soon-to-be-19-year-old took the online course about 18 months ago, at age 17. He put in more than 50 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction. He practiced with Mom, Dad, and Grandma. We all went over the list of items to review in the back of the book, then had him work specifically on the areas we felt he needed improvement in. He scored very high on the Behind the Wheel test at the DMV. He was 17 and a half when we allowed him to get his license; 16 is too young for some children to drive, especially in large cities. My husband and I notice so many people uneducated about 4-way stops (as others here have posted). I know that this was taught in my son's Driver's Training course, because we went over it in the book with him. Not sure why so many adults are confused about this.
judgemobile Champion Author Ohio Posts:7,555 Points:2,442,210 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 10:28:04 PM Ignore judgemobile Report Abuse if they don't have a clue of what to do behind the wheel, why are inspectors passing them on road tests ?
JimL1 Champion Author Phoenix Posts:8,206 Points:1,239,570 Joined:Jul 2003	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 10:27:52 PM Ignore JimL1 Report Abuse I was blessed. My dad required me to take the driver training available at AAA at the time, when I was 16 years old. They actually taught me how to drive safely. Did I always drive safely, no I was a typical 16 year old and drove like one. The state of Pennsylvania took my drivers license for speeding and that penalty helped improve my habits. ==== ===== ==== ==== == The cuts in education, including driver training are among the most stupid things that our government can do. By crippling education they will make this into a third world country. Requiring results for the money spent is the only way to go.
wxman08 Champion Author Vermont Posts:1,917 Points:401,470 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 10:27:23 PM Ignore wxman08 Report Abuse "I think Drivers Ed should be mandatory to get a drivers license." It already is "Holly123".
txkrb Champion Author Texas Posts:1,553 Points:635,565 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 10:26:39 PM Ignore txkrb Report Abuse @wxman Drivers ed is not required anymore in many states Hence the article
boatmen Champion Author New York Posts:3,070 Points:620,630 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 10:24:54 PM Ignore boatmen Report Abuse wow this generated alot of comment for non fuel
Point__man Champion Author Raleigh Posts:4,320 Points:874,770 Joined:Oct 2010	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 10:24:43 PM Ignore Point__man Report Abuse We are going to be needing the auto manufacturers to put a rush order on new vehicles that don't need drivers to make decisions (as if we have many now) ;)
txkrb Champion Author Texas Posts:1,553 Points:635,565 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 10:24:21 PM Ignore txkrb Report Abuse @number43 You probably have never learned a damn thing from anything
wxman08 Champion Author Vermont Posts:1,917 Points:401,470 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 10:23:47 PM Ignore wxman08 Report Abuse "It should be mandatory for anyone and everyone applying for a driver's license to pass DE course." It already is "#1purple".
txkrb Champion Author Texas Posts:1,553 Points:635,565 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 10:21:55 PM Ignore txkrb Report Abuse Drivers ed should be required for all drivers under 21 Driving is a privilege not a right. There are so many lousy drivers on the road A comprehensive test should be required for all drivers getting a license the first time regardless of age and older drivers (over 70) should be tested every time license renews There are many older drivers on the road whose driving skills are such they should not be on the road. A indication of this is older drivers you see on the road who drive 15 mph or more below speed limit., because they are incapable of handling the vehicle at normal speeds and I am not bashing older driver in general, my mother is 87 and drives almost daily, but does not have any of the issues I have discussed here, she drives right at the speed limit and actually complains at times about some other older drivers having no business driving a car [Edited by: txkrb at 10/13/2011 12:24:38 AM EST]
heartbroken2010 Champion Author Ottawa Posts:4,329 Points:894,610 Joined:Aug 2010	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 10:21:42 PM Ignore heartbroken2010 Report Abuse Drivers ED in no way equals experience behind the wheel no matter how you slice the cake . just simply icing on the top here.
wxman08 Champion Author Vermont Posts:1,917 Points:401,470 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 10:17:40 PM Ignore wxman08 Report Abuse This is a pretty silly article. First of all, we all should know by now that federal & state cutbacks eventually lead to cutbacks at the local level, and, since a huge amount of money at the local level goes to school budgets, that means that school funding cuts are ultimately necessary for those that want "smaller government". Second of all, the state-required "40 hours" driver training that I got one summer when I was 16 years-old was a complete & total joke. There was exactly ZERO hands-on driving instruction, and not even much in-classroom instruction on driving habits. We basically just watched a bunch of decades old, "scary" driving movies that were laughable at best. The best drivers education that I received was from other adults that drove with me at the time when I had a learning permit & private driving instructors...the latter of which allowed me to get an actual discount on my car insurance.
rodzilla123 Champion Author San Diego Posts:4,380 Points:1,031,115 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Oct 12, 2011 10:15:48 PM Ignore rodzilla123 Report Abuse I was lucky, my Dad payed for a private instructor. I highly recommend it if you can. Been driving heavy equipment since 1975. Love to drive, Hate Traffic!!!!!