Study Proves Drivers Ed Makes Teens Safer Drivers
A new study by motor club AAA confirms that driver education classes for teens decreases the number of car crashes they have and sharply decreases the number of speeding tickets they receive. The study comes at a time when fewer teens are participating in driver education classes. Although there has always been an assumption that these classes help make teens better drivers, until now, there has never been a study that confirmed that idea. According to National Center for Health Statistics, the number one killer of teenager is car accidents, killing more than 4,700 teens each year.
The most dangerous time of a teenager’s life is the first year they have their driver’s license. The crash rate of 16 year old drivers is almost double what the crash rate is for 18 and 19 year old drivers. In fact, the risk of a teen driver being in a car crash is three times the risk of an older driver. AAA utilized statistics from Oregon and Manitoba, Canada. The research team gathered their data from licensing tests, surveys, driving simulators and other records. For the Oregon portion of the study, researchers analyzed the records of 93,942 teenage drivers. According to the study, teens who completed driver’s education typically scored higher on their driving exams and also had “modest increases in knowledge over peers who took no formal training.”
In Texas, a person under 18 years old can apply for their license through the Graduated Driver License (GDL) Program. They must first apply for their learning permit, which they can do at 15 years of age. In order to get their permit, the teen must have passed the classroom portion of a driver’s education course. These courses may be taken through the teenager’s high school, with a parent through an on-line driver education course, or through a certified driving school. After a minimum of six months holding their learning permit, they can apply for Phase Two of the GDL. If they are granted their license, there are certain rules they must follow for a twelve month period in order to receive a traditional driver’s license.
If you have been injured in a vehicle crash caused by the negligence of another driver, contact an experienced New Braunfels car accident attorney to find out what compensation you may be entitled to.
