When their children approach driving age is a fearful time for many parents. Can it be true that the kid who has barely emerged from awkward adolescence may be licensed to pilot a high-powered motor vehicle through heavy traffic on city streets or at high speeds on interstate highways? It’s madness!
Prudent parents postpone the purchase of a new car in anticipation of harsh treatment by inexperienced drivers. Little is more disheartening than taking a vehicle to the body shop before it’s lost the new-car smell. They save extra money to cover the steep increase in insurance costs. They make sure to take their blood-pressure medication regularly.
Parents do have an ally in their concern for driver safety: the state. Or, they did have. Now, the state’s position is uncertain.
Several years ago, the state implemented a graduated licensing process for kids as young as 15. They could receive a limited learner’s permit by completing a driver’s ed course and passing a written test. That would enable them to drive with adult supervision for a year. At that point, they could gain a limited provisional license by passing a road test. Restrictions would apply, but successful driving for six more months would qualify the youngster for a full provisional license.
These steps have helped make sure that teenagers really are ready to be responsible, knowledgeable, safe drivers by the time they’re set loose on the streets and highways.
Unfortunately, this is all in jeopardy. The reason: Funds to pay for driver’s education classes through the public schools have run out. Some of that money might be restored when the state House and Senate enact a new budget; or perhaps none of it will.
For now, driver training has stopped in many North Carolina counties, including Guilford.
The legislature is considering a number of proposals, none of which is as good as the status quo. While the state was covering the cost of driver’s ed classes in the past, it now may pass the funding responsibility to local school systems or let them charge students for the cost — generally around $250.
Schools don’t have the money, and neither do many families. Youngsters from low-income households might have to wait until age 18 to get their licenses, without driver’s training. There’s even a proposal in the legislature to do away with the driver’s ed requirement, putting more responsibility on the parents to provide the training.
That’s a terrifying prospect to many parents. It should be terrifying to the public at large, because many adults are poor drivers. For some teenagers, the only hope for learning how to drive safely is a professional driver’s ed course.
The state can save money in the short run if it cuts funding for driver’s ed. It isn’t hard to imagine how costs would rise over the long term as accidents soar. For the good of all, driver’s ed should be fully funded by Raleigh and required for everyone entering the graduated licensing process.
The state doesn’t ask parents to teach reading and math, for good reason. Driving is also important and potentially more dangerous.
Prudent parents postpone the purchase of a new car in anticipation of harsh treatment by inexperienced drivers. Little is more disheartening than taking a vehicle to the body shop before it’s lost the new-car smell. They save extra money to cover the steep increase in insurance costs. They make sure to take their blood-pressure medication regularly.
Parents do have an ally in their concern for driver safety: the state. Or, they did have. Now, the state’s position is uncertain.
Several years ago, the state implemented a graduated licensing process for kids as young as 15. They could receive a limited learner’s permit by completing a driver’s ed course and passing a written test. That would enable them to drive with adult supervision for a year. At that point, they could gain a limited provisional license by passing a road test. Restrictions would apply, but successful driving for six more months would qualify the youngster for a full provisional license.
These steps have helped make sure that teenagers really are ready to be responsible, knowledgeable, safe drivers by the time they’re set loose on the streets and highways.
Unfortunately, this is all in jeopardy. The reason: Funds to pay for driver’s education classes through the public schools have run out. Some of that money might be restored when the state House and Senate enact a new budget; or perhaps none of it will.
For now, driver training has stopped in many North Carolina counties, including Guilford.
The legislature is considering a number of proposals, none of which is as good as the status quo. While the state was covering the cost of driver’s ed classes in the past, it now may pass the funding responsibility to local school systems or let them charge students for the cost — generally around $250.
Schools don’t have the money, and neither do many families. Youngsters from low-income households might have to wait until age 18 to get their licenses, without driver’s training. There’s even a proposal in the legislature to do away with the driver’s ed requirement, putting more responsibility on the parents to provide the training.
That’s a terrifying prospect to many parents. It should be terrifying to the public at large, because many adults are poor drivers. For some teenagers, the only hope for learning how to drive safely is a professional driver’s ed course.
The state can save money in the short run if it cuts funding for driver’s ed. It isn’t hard to imagine how costs would rise over the long term as accidents soar. For the good of all, driver’s ed should be fully funded by Raleigh and required for everyone entering the graduated licensing process.
The state doesn’t ask parents to teach reading and math, for good reason. Driving is also important and potentially more dangerous.
No comments:
Post a Comment