Submission + - How do we improve driver's education?
bluefoxlucid writes: "I've wanted to get in on some government stuff for some time, because there's so much wrong with this country. Education, ridiculous alcohol laws, cameras everywhere... today it's driving. We really, really need better driver's education, better driving tests, and better licensing restrictions. If you're not in the USA, you're in for a shock when you see what we go through to get licensed; also be mindful, our driver's side is on the left, we drive on the right, and 99% of vehicles are automatic. I'll do a quick summary here of what we've got, and what I'd like; feel free to talk about Germany's over-the-top $4800 mandatory Driver's Education program.
To be short, I never passed my driver's test. That is to say, I failed my driver's test, and got a license anyway. Driver's tests in Maryland don't work like in the UK, Germany, or anywhere sane. To start with, we have a lot the size of maybe four cubicles. It has a curb in the middle, and three right turns at stop signs. You belt in, drive up to the entrance, stop, and put the parking brake up. Proctor gets in, and you signal and enter the lot, then signal and turn left. Parallel park in under 3 minutes by the curb, parking brake up. Then signal, pull out to the stop sign. Stop, signal, turn right; do this for all 3 stop signs, then stop and put up the handbrake. Congratulations! You have a license! I couldn't parallel park, they failed me 3 times and then just gave me a license.
Let's wind back to Driver's Ed next. In Maryland, you're required to put in 60 hours of driving with a licensed vehicle operator in the car, and take a 2 month Driver's Education class. Driver's Education consisted of a lot of talk about traffic signals, and a mention that if you don't have anti-lock brakes you should pump the brakes-- or better, burn your vehicle and get anti-lock brakes. Also you spend an hour a week driving down slow side streets with a driving instructor, who has a foot brake in the passenger side, and uses it whenever he can. At some point you have to perform one (1) 3-point turn-about (Y turn) and one (1) U-turn in a parking lot. I got an insurance discount for watching a 15 minute video about "Defensive Driving," because I had "Defensive Driving Training" and so I'm a better driver than most people.
What I'm mostly interested in is first establishing a stricter requirement for Driver's Ed. Basic vehicle maintenance should be taught, specifically tire and brake maintenance; too many people drive on bald or $30-per-pair tires and screeching brakes not knowing or caring about the massive safety problems this causes. Further topics should include things such as decision making and execution on the roadway; vehicle dynamics; collision avoidance techniques; skid control (so when you skid avoiding an idiot running a stop sign, you don't hit pedestrians); and advanced braking techniques. This was mainly inspired by a $300 advanced driving course AAA directed me to.
Slightly modifying the licensing requirements also interests me greatly; I like to reference the UK's driving tests for this. UK driver's tests are often taken in a manual transmission; passing your test in an automatic gets you an A stamp, meaning you're not legally licensed to drive a manual transmission. Besides this, the tests are run on the road for an hour-long drive in traffic. Minor faults in driving are counted down until a threshold; major safety faults are instant failure. For example, stopping at a traffic signal without using the handbrake is a minor fault; if a pedestrian crosses in front of your vehicle, this is a major fault, because a bump from behind could cause you to lose footing and roll forward. Our driver's tests should be modeled after this.
Alright, so my fellow Americans (who haven't just turned in their licenses) and curious Europeans (who probably won't ever visit America now), this is a basic view of driving in my state; I hear some states are better, but many others are just as bad. This is what I want to try to fix in my home state, but I have no friggin' clue how! I've considered (but haven't tried) writing letters, making phone calls, asking for an audience with the legislative body (or Congress, but I'm not that auspicious to try to challenge the whole nation), making friends with politicians, or even just wandering to my local AAA branch and starting discussions with them on the subject. Any ideas, encouragements, or whatnot?"
To be short, I never passed my driver's test. That is to say, I failed my driver's test, and got a license anyway. Driver's tests in Maryland don't work like in the UK, Germany, or anywhere sane. To start with, we have a lot the size of maybe four cubicles. It has a curb in the middle, and three right turns at stop signs. You belt in, drive up to the entrance, stop, and put the parking brake up. Proctor gets in, and you signal and enter the lot, then signal and turn left. Parallel park in under 3 minutes by the curb, parking brake up. Then signal, pull out to the stop sign. Stop, signal, turn right; do this for all 3 stop signs, then stop and put up the handbrake. Congratulations! You have a license! I couldn't parallel park, they failed me 3 times and then just gave me a license.
Let's wind back to Driver's Ed next. In Maryland, you're required to put in 60 hours of driving with a licensed vehicle operator in the car, and take a 2 month Driver's Education class. Driver's Education consisted of a lot of talk about traffic signals, and a mention that if you don't have anti-lock brakes you should pump the brakes-- or better, burn your vehicle and get anti-lock brakes. Also you spend an hour a week driving down slow side streets with a driving instructor, who has a foot brake in the passenger side, and uses it whenever he can. At some point you have to perform one (1) 3-point turn-about (Y turn) and one (1) U-turn in a parking lot. I got an insurance discount for watching a 15 minute video about "Defensive Driving," because I had "Defensive Driving Training" and so I'm a better driver than most people.
What I'm mostly interested in is first establishing a stricter requirement for Driver's Ed. Basic vehicle maintenance should be taught, specifically tire and brake maintenance; too many people drive on bald or $30-per-pair tires and screeching brakes not knowing or caring about the massive safety problems this causes. Further topics should include things such as decision making and execution on the roadway; vehicle dynamics; collision avoidance techniques; skid control (so when you skid avoiding an idiot running a stop sign, you don't hit pedestrians); and advanced braking techniques. This was mainly inspired by a $300 advanced driving course AAA directed me to.
Slightly modifying the licensing requirements also interests me greatly; I like to reference the UK's driving tests for this. UK driver's tests are often taken in a manual transmission; passing your test in an automatic gets you an A stamp, meaning you're not legally licensed to drive a manual transmission. Besides this, the tests are run on the road for an hour-long drive in traffic. Minor faults in driving are counted down until a threshold; major safety faults are instant failure. For example, stopping at a traffic signal without using the handbrake is a minor fault; if a pedestrian crosses in front of your vehicle, this is a major fault, because a bump from behind could cause you to lose footing and roll forward. Our driver's tests should be modeled after this.
Alright, so my fellow Americans (who haven't just turned in their licenses) and curious Europeans (who probably won't ever visit America now), this is a basic view of driving in my state; I hear some states are better, but many others are just as bad. This is what I want to try to fix in my home state, but I have no friggin' clue how! I've considered (but haven't tried) writing letters, making phone calls, asking for an audience with the legislative body (or Congress, but I'm not that auspicious to try to challenge the whole nation), making friends with politicians, or even just wandering to my local AAA branch and starting discussions with them on the subject. Any ideas, encouragements, or whatnot?"
