Driving Instructors' Own Standards in the USA
By
Eddie Wren, of Drive and Stay
Alive, Inc.
After
passing the compulsory driving test, the
vast majority of people never take any further
driver training throughout the remainder of
their lives, despite the fact that driving is the
most deadly, frequent activity they will ever
undertake.
vast majority of people never take any further
driver training throughout the remainder of
their lives, despite the fact that driving is the
most deadly, frequent activity they will ever
undertake.
Ask
the majority of these individuals how
good they are at driving and an equally large
majority will tell you that they are 'good', or
words to that effect.
good they are at driving and an equally large
majority will tell you that they are 'good', or
words to that effect.
So
why, then, does the USA have such an
appallingly poor rate of deaths, as a
proportion of the population, when compared to other developed nations?1 For 2003, for
example, the nation had a per capita death
rate of 14.66 -- slightly more than two and a
half times worse than the leading countries,
which had rates in the 5.8's. In other words,
for every 100,000 members of America's
population, 14.66 people are killed in road
crashes each year. That might not sound like
much but the result is the equivalent, in the
number of deaths, to a tragedy such as the
World Trade Center massacre happening
here every 23 days.
appallingly poor rate of deaths, as a
proportion of the population, when compared to other developed nations?1 For 2003, for
example, the nation had a per capita death
rate of 14.66 -- slightly more than two and a
half times worse than the leading countries,
which had rates in the 5.8's. In other words,
for every 100,000 members of America's
population, 14.66 people are killed in road
crashes each year. That might not sound like
much but the result is the equivalent, in the
number of deaths, to a tragedy such as the
World Trade Center massacre happening
here every 23 days.
Clearly,
the overall standard of driving is not
the only contributory factor in the USA's
43,000 annual road deaths -- road and
vehicle 'Engineering' form one key factor, the
preventive effects of law 'Enforcement' are
another, but basic driver training is a vital
element in the 'Education' which forms the
third of the most commonly cited 'E's of road
safety.
the only contributory factor in the USA's
43,000 annual road deaths -- road and
vehicle 'Engineering' form one key factor, the
preventive effects of law 'Enforcement' are
another, but basic driver training is a vital
element in the 'Education' which forms the
third of the most commonly cited 'E's of road
safety.
Yet
if one asks virtually any driver in the
States whether they thought the driving test
was difficult, a large proportion will say the
exact opposite -- that it was in fact very easy.
And if one compares the driving test in this
country with that in many of the countries
that have much better safety records, it is
clear that the driving test here is significantly
less demanding than it is elsewhere.
States whether they thought the driving test
was difficult, a large proportion will say the
exact opposite -- that it was in fact very easy.
And if one compares the driving test in this
country with that in many of the countries
that have much better safety records, it is
clear that the driving test here is significantly
less demanding than it is elsewhere.
Does
this matter?
Sadly,
commercial driver training in any
country is driven by people's desire merely to
pass a test, with scant regard for safety in the
longer term, so they want the minimum
number of lessons at the least possible
expense. If the test were to be made more
difficult, it becomes an inescapable fact that
more lessons would be required in order for
people to pass.
country is driven by people's desire merely to
pass a test, with scant regard for safety in the
longer term, so they want the minimum
number of lessons at the least possible
expense. If the test were to be made more
difficult, it becomes an inescapable fact that
more lessons would be required in order for
people to pass.
Logically,
this will improve the standard of
each individual's driving, but there is a truly
vital element that has not yet been mentioned
-- the standard of driving instructors.
each individual's driving, but there is a truly
vital element that has not yet been mentioned
-- the standard of driving instructors.
In
an article
in the Sacramento Bee -- July 3,
2005 -- it is mentioned that California state
qualifications for driving instructors (quote)
"are basic: a high school education, a driver's
license, 60 hours of training and passing a
written test. DMV officials last year dropped
the special behind-the-wheel test for
applicants, saying it duplicated the test for a
driver's license. Drug tests are not required.
Criminal convictions do not automatically
disqualify a job candidate."
2005 -- it is mentioned that California state
qualifications for driving instructors (quote)
"are basic: a high school education, a driver's
license, 60 hours of training and passing a
written test. DMV officials last year dropped
the special behind-the-wheel test for
applicants, saying it duplicated the test for a
driver's license. Drug tests are not required.
Criminal convictions do not automatically
disqualify a job candidate."
On
the face of it the training aspects in
California might sound acceptable, but once
again comparisons are called for. In Britain,
for example -- the country which has had the
safest roads more times than any other
country in recent years -- the average training
period for a new driving instructor lasts
several months and involves three demanding tests2 which are all carried out by
national examiners from the Driving
Standards Agency:
California might sound acceptable, but once
again comparisons are called for. In Britain,
for example -- the country which has had the
safest roads more times than any other
country in recent years -- the average training
period for a new driving instructor lasts
several months and involves three demanding tests2 which are all carried out by
national examiners from the Driving
Standards Agency:
-
Knowledge of traffic law and safe driving
(computerized test);
-
A test of one's own ability to drive (to much
higher standards than an ordinary driving
test); -
A test of one's actual ability to instruct
(with a test examiner role-playing as the
student driver).
British
driving instructors are also graded --
the highest level being grade 6 -- and by law
are re-tested, usually every two years.
the highest level being grade 6 -- and by law
are re-tested, usually every two years.
The
job of driving instructor in California
today is easy to get, and not highly
valued. Schools sometimes pay
instructors beginning salaries
under $10 an hour, less than some
supermarket baggers earn. Turnover
rates among the state's 3,000 instructors
are higher than 30 percent a year, an
analysis of state data indicates. That
forces schools to scramble continually
for new instructors, at times scraping
the bottom of the job-market talent pool.
today is easy to get, and not highly
valued. Schools sometimes pay
instructors beginning salaries
under $10 an hour, less than some
supermarket baggers earn. Turnover
rates among the state's 3,000 instructors
are higher than 30 percent a year, an
analysis of state data indicates. That
forces schools to scramble continually
for new instructors, at times scraping
the bottom of the job-market talent pool.
Of
course it is easy for politicians to claim that
improved driver training standards would be
too expensive or that improving the regime
is outside their budgetary reach, but this is a
deadly cop-out. The cost of crashes, both at
local and societal levels, is truly enormous.
The National Highways Traffic Safety
Administration states that each person killed
on America's roads costs the country around
$1 million, so a hefty proportion of $43
billion would become available each year if
the annual death toll were to be cut
significantly, for starters -- and this
calculation of course omits the aggregate
expense that could be saved each year by
reducing the much higher numbers of people
who are 'just' seriously injured.
improved driver training standards would be
too expensive or that improving the regime
is outside their budgetary reach, but this is a
deadly cop-out. The cost of crashes, both at
local and societal levels, is truly enormous.
The National Highways Traffic Safety
Administration states that each person killed
on America's roads costs the country around
$1 million, so a hefty proportion of $43
billion would become available each year if
the annual death toll were to be cut
significantly, for starters -- and this
calculation of course omits the aggregate
expense that could be saved each year by
reducing the much higher numbers of people
who are 'just' seriously injured.
Driving
standards are not the only thing that
can be enhanced in order to help reduce the
annual carnage on America's roads. There are
many road engineering features that could
radically be improved, and similarly there are
many aspects of road policing that could
equally be enhanced.
published by Wyatt Olsen
Sponsored by
can be enhanced in order to help reduce the
annual carnage on America's roads. There are
many road engineering features that could
radically be improved, and similarly there are
many aspects of road policing that could
equally be enhanced.
published by Wyatt Olsen
Sponsored by
The Greyhound Group |
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