The Importance of Education in Driving

A study done by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in 2015 found that when young drivers are under-educated on basic driving safety, they become 24% more likely to be involved in a fatal or injury accident. Furthermore, the results of an AAA Foundation study published in September of 2014, suggests driver education is associated with reducing crashes by 4.3% and convictions by nearly 40%. Teens who complete driver education programs demonstrated greater long-term knowledge over their peers who did not take drivers ed.

The most important step in preventing driving accidents is education. Today, the highest rate of teen driver accidents is in Kentucky. Teen drivers in Kentucky are 16% more likely to die in a car crash than those in Mississippi, the second most deadly state, and 140% more likely than the average U.S. teen according to a 2016 study by LendingTree Co. Furthermore, Kentucky does not require driver education in schools. Teen drivers need only complete 60 hours of driving with a licensed adult, according to the Kentucky DMV.

New Jersey has the lowest rate of teen driving accidents, but New Jersey also does not require drivers ed in schools. Instead, New Jersey requires teens to take a training course given by the DMV and complete six months of supervised driving before they can qualify for a license.

In comparing these two states with the highest and lowest teen accidents, the difference is how they educate. Kentucky relies on experience, which is never a negative learning tool, but is this experience valuable? Any licensed adult, regardless of their driving philosophies, can accompany a new driver who has no prior education of road laws and safety.

New Jersey driver education is often taught outside of school. The state’s DMV is able to provide education to future drivers. In addition to professionally taught courses, 6 months of supervised driving time is required before a teen can take the written exam. New Jersey has demonstrated that the public school system does not have to be responsible for driver’s education. In fact, it may be more effective to allow the state agency responsible for providing a license to drive, to also provide an education to drive.

I have never been in a vehicle accident, but I have lost four family members and two close friends to reckless driving. My loved ones may still be alive were they educated not by the high school gym teacher but a state-sanctioned agency, they would have better understood their responsibility as drivers.

I try to use self-education to better myself in all aspects of life, including driving. I took driver education in high school but admittedly, I was not overly engaged. Now at age 21 and owning a vehicle, I have revisited driving etiquette. Driver education is an equally important responsibility as personal health or finance. Resources like AAA and research studies, I use to better understand how I can be a safer driver and influence those around me to be the same.