Why Make Driver Education Mandatory?
Hawaii’s youngest drivers are involved in more crashes than any other age group. Over the past 14 years, 1986-1999, drivers between the ages of 15 and 25 have accounted for 20% of all fatalities in the state. The next two highest age groups are persons 31-40, 15%, and persons over 65 years, 15%.
In 1999, teens ages 15-18 accounted for 12 of the state’s 98 fatalities, second only to those over 65. Teens were involved in 1,497 crashes in 1999, with 1,596 injuries sustained.
The primary factors contributing to the teen crashes in Hawaii were failure to yield, 35%; speeding, 30%; and following too closely, 23%. These factors were more than double those same factors for all other drivers in Hawaii crashes during the same 14-year period
Inattentive driving and misjudgment were the human factors that caused 91% of the teen crashes over the past 14 years. Teens 15-18 rated significantly higher in these two human factors than did all other drivers (72%) in Hawaii crashes during the same period.
Although teens may have learned the traffic laws to pass the written test and the basic skills to pass a road test to get their license, the statistics show that Hawaii’s new drivers lack appropriate training and experience and are therefore over represented in all crash statistics. Their inexperience is magnified when they drive with friends in their car and fail to concentrate on their driving, don’t wear seat belts, or drink and drive.
Fewer than 20% of teen drivers have taken any type of formal driver education program over the past 14 years. In driver education, students learn, not only traffic laws, but good attitudes that will help them become better drivers, make fewer mistakes, and teach them respect for other drivers and traffic laws. The 50-hour parent-supervised driving program, which is part of the mandatory driver education program, will give teens a longer period to practice their driving before obtaining their license.
A reminder–in Hawaii, driving is a privilege, and not a right. Once we exercise the right to drive, we must be prepared to follow the rules and accept the consequences that come with that privilege.
