Over the summer, I spent 30 hours attending a driver’s education
course, a pre-requisite to permit eligibility.
Over the summer, I spent 30 hours attending a driver’s education course, a pre-requisite to permit eligibility. I expected a dreary, drab class with a monotonous teacher and cheesy videos. Granted, it was a bit boring (and there was a wide variety of cheesy videos) but I did not leave at the end of that 30th hour without learning a thing or two. There are some little things that I had never been aware of and new developments in technology to help regulate drinking and driving.
The first few things are rather juvenile, but I was surprised to see them listed in the California Driver Handbook.
Did you know that you are not supposed to hang anything from your rearview mirror? Obviously that rule is not strictly enforced or else police would be pulling every car off the road.
Another rule as stated by the California Driver Handbook is this, “Do not wear a headset over, or earplugs in, both your ears.” It makes perfect sense – this will keep you alert to your surroundings as you are driving. If there is actually a problem with this, I suspect that it will eventually diminish due to the amount of cars being manufactured with the feature of iPod compatibility with the speaker system.
In addition to these “fun” facts, our instructor by no means refrained from temporarily collapsing our fantasies about driving and the freedom it will bring. As well as talking about things such as tailgating, blind spots, right turn on red, and right of way, he informed us of the dangers of driving.
“Traffics accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers,” he told us.” If you are under 18 years old, your risk of fatal accident is about 2 1/2 times that of the ‘average’ driver. Your risk of an injury accident is three times higher than the average driver.”
He showed us multiple films about mistakes that kids our age had made. Most of those mistakes occurred when driving after drinking.
A new development in technology, called the ignition interlock device, is meant to regulate the offense of drinking and driving.
The ignition interlock device is basically a Breathalyzer; except that it would be installed on the motorist’s dashboard. Once it is installed, you will not be able to start your car until you breath into the machine. If the machine detects alcohol in your breath, you will not be able to start the car. I’m sure many people can already find problems with the system.
A few formerly posed questions include, “Couldn’t they get someone else to breath into it for them?” and “Why can’t they just rip the machine off the dashboard?” Addressing the former: Technically, yes.
But on some versions of the ignition interlock device there is also a camera installed. Therefore when it is turned back in, the offense will have already been recorded and there will most likely be consequences.
Addressing the latter: Technically, yes. But the machine documents everything that has happened to it, and when it is turned back in, it displays the information (and it is probably very obvious if a machine has been ripped out or smashed to pieces).
Since its original introduction in the 1970s the Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device has undergone various improvements hoping to make the machine more fool proof.
With each year that passes a new set of teenagers are getting ready to drive. They’ll all hear the same stories. Some will ignore them, and some will heed the warning.
Driver’s education is meant with the best intentions; even though it seems a bit dry. Listen to what people are telling you, and if you don’t believe them just take a peek into the newspaper.
Students at Valley Christian High School in San Jose have died in car crashes. In Santa Ana a teenager killed his 16-year-old classmate driving drunk at a speed of 100 mph.
Students attending Morgan Hill’s local high schools are most likely beginning to drive, just as I am.
In my opinion, you can learn a lot from Driver’s Education if you are willing.
It isn’t meant to scare you. Well, maybe just a little.
Sabrina Werts is a sophomore at Ann Sobrato High School. In addition to writing, she enjoys piano and dance.
