Pilots Fly Planes, Drivers Drive Cars

In the United States, there are over 38,000 deaths per year due to driving. That number is appalling at first, but after considering how easy it is for one to obtain a drivers license in America, that number suddenly doesn’t seem so surprising. Every state has different requirements, but in general, one only needs to pass a knowledge test on laws and a driving test behind the wheel. There’s no need to know how a car runs, technical aspects, or any sort of understanding on how a car functions. Imagine if pilots had the same requirements as drivers. Would you be willing to get on that plane?

To become a pilot, one must obtain a bachelor’s degree in aircraft operations, aviation, or aeronautical engineering. This is because knowing how a plane functions and works is crucial in being able to fly it successfully. I’m not saying every driver needs to be a mechanic, but they should at least have basic knowledge of how a car works. For example, in drivers’ education, we are taught that when it’s raining it takes longer for a car to come to a stop, but how many drivers know the real reason why? If every student in a drivers ed program was taught this, knowing that it takes longer to brake when it’s raining would just be common sense, they wouldn’t have to force themselves to memorize it. It’s like addition, instead of forcing first graders to memorize that 2+3=5, they are taught them how to add and what addition is. Instead of memorizing rules, driving students should be taught why cars work the way they do and should have experience driving.

In addition to a degree, pilots are required to have at least 1,500 hours of flight experience before obtaining their license. This is because they need to know how to operate a plane in varying conditions, such as bad weather. The roadway is an even more unpredictable environment. We drive on crowded streets surrounded by other people. Mistakes not only affect you and the passengers in your car, but every passenger in the cars around you. When you stop at a red light you must not only look forward but check behind yourself as well, to ensure that the other car is stopping a reasonable distance away from you. A driver must be aware of all of the cars around him and what they could do, and this isn’t something that can be taught in a classroom. It requires lots of experience, yet 15-year-olds are only required to have 40 hours of driving experience before obtaining their license.

Pilots have such requirements because their knowledge and experience allows them to develop problem-solving and observation skills, good depth perception and reaction time. These skills are just as vital for a driver to possess, so why are drivers held to a different standard?