As a parent, you probably feel both excited and terrified about your teenager getting a driver’s license. Although you are no longer a taxi, you now have to worry about your child’s safety on the road.
Many states now require some form of driver’s education before teens can get their licenses, but others have few or no driver’s education requirements, leaving these individuals unprepared and vulnerable to car accidents.
States have different requirements
Each state has its own driver’s education and testing requirements. Florida, for example, only requires your child to pass the road test. They never even have to test for and drive on a learner’s permit. Other states do not require a written or road test, night driving experience or specific coursework.
Driver’s training is not free
In the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s, many schools and states offered driver’s education programs free of charge. Today, most states require that you pay for your child’s training. In fact, all but 10 states require that you pay for driver’s ed despite most Americans (90%) believing that public schools should offer courses for free.
Outdated training
In addition, many states have outdated driver’s education programs. For example, unlike other countries, most states do not offer Hazard Perception Tests, where teens learn about common accident circumstances.
In addition, to prevent accidents, countries such as the UK and Australia require that a certified instructor accompany students on the interstate in a vehicle with two sets of controls and limit the number of individuals in the vehicle with new drivers.
Today’s driver’s education and licensing requirements may not fully prepare your teen for the road. Therefore, you should find a comprehensive program and step in to fill in the gaps to keep your children safe and accident-free.