DRIVER EDUCATION
Turning your teen into a safe driver is a complex task. Part of the process involves learning the rules of the road and how to safely operate a vehicle – two big areas where professional driver education and training can help tremendously. Even though your child is still weeks, months or even a couple years away from driving, it’s not too early to start learning about driver education.
New drivers need a solid foundation of knowledge, skills and plans to reduce their risk behind the wheel. Quality driver education can help to develop safe driving attitudes, improve hazard recognition and explain how to manage visibility, time and space in traffic.
Using a professional driver education school can be an effective way to provide your teen with the training needed to become a more informed and safer driver. It can also help preserve your relationship with your teen, as some very skilled and safety-conscious parents may not have the time or temperament to be the best teacher.
When you’re behind the wheel of a car, you are responsible for your actions. Many new teen drivers have crashes, and the consequences — both legal and personal — can be serious. You could kill someone, be killed or seriously injure yourself, loved ones or others.
Doesn’t it make sense to be taught how to drive by a professional?
• How to identify and manage risk.
• The rules of the road, signs, signals and markings.
• Basic operation of a vehicle.
• Risk prevention techniques, how to handle emergencies and how to prevent distractions.
• Financial and legal responsibilities associated with driving.
The Dangers of Texting While Driving
“Putting the brakes on the distracted driving epidemic will require both dedication and creative thinking, and our driving school is committed to doing its part to address this growing crisis.”
Distracted Driving Is Dangerous
The popularity of mobile devices has had some unintended and even dangerous consequences. We now know that mobile communications are linked to a significant increase in distracted driving, resulting in injury and loss of life.
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that in 2010 driver distraction was the cause of 18 percent of all fatal crashes – with 3,092 people killed – and crashes resulting in an injury – with 416,000 people wounded.
- Forty percent of all American teens say they have been in a car when the driver used a cell phone in a way that put people in danger, according to a Pew survey.
- The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted.
- Eleven percent of drivers aged 18 to 20 who were involved in an automobile accident and survived admitted they were sending or receiving texts when they crashed.
Distracted driving endangers life and property and the current levels of injury and loss are unacceptable.
State Laws
Currently there is no national ban on texting or using a wireless phone while driving, but a number of states have passed laws banning texting or wireless phones or requiring hands-free use of wireless phones while driving.