OT: State of licensing in the US, How hard is it where you live? Options

[lapuwali]

Howard's thread about the consequences of not teaching teens how to drive got me wondering.

I went through the whole driver training ritual in 1980, so I have no idea what the current state of driver training is in the US. Texas (where I learned) had a pretty good program. Run in the high school, mandatory, with both driving classes, textbook classes, and an interesting interactive movie.

I'm told that most high schools don't have driver's ed anymore, due to cost-cutting. Is this true nationwide, or only here in California? Is it even true in all of California? I see "Student Driver" cars from time to time (saw one this morning), and I'm sure it's not mandatory. I presume this is strictly a private, voluntary thing?

I also know Europe is much stricter than here. I'm familiar with the UK testing system, how's the system in Germany (Andy?), or Austria (Gustl?), or the Netherlands (Yaroooon?).

Getting anyone to pay for better training in the US is probably politically impossible, though it strikes me that perhaps having the insurance companies help out here by offering a substantial discount from the usual outrageous teen driver rates for those teens who complete an accredited course sounds sensible to me.

[Mark Henry]

Tim..now I know about how old you are...Got my license about the same time.

Back then at 16yrs/old you got a "365" (as in days) and all you needed was a real easy multiple-choice test, vision test and licensed driver beside you.
Then anytime you could take the final driven test.
DE wasn't required but it was a high school option, you pay, small insurance discount.

Now there is a one-year probation on your final that includes either no passengers (or is it none at night?), a 0.00 alcohol level, no demerits points and no 400 series highways. I believe the tests are a bit harder but still too easy.
I still think DE isn't required, don't know if they offer it in high school, but there's way more driving schools. Most offer an insurance discount.


I think that EVERONE should have a proper DE and skid school training