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.

[Mike D.]

QUOTE (ClayPerrine @ Jan 4 2006, 08:23 PM)

You want to hear a really good one........ Texas lets 16 year olds take drivers ed, then they are given a form to take to the Department of Public Safety offices. Once there, they just wait in line to get their license picture taken. NO ON THE ROAD DRIVING TEST REQUIRED!!!! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/WTF.gif) There are no restrictions on the licenses at all. They can take any road at any time. It really pisses me off. When I got my license, we had to take a driving test with a state trooper sitting next to you. I used a full sized Chevy van with no windows in the back, and I parallel parked it on the first try. The cop was so impressed he shortened up the rest of the test.

I too got my license in Texas back in '86. There is something about a big ass cop with a gun sitting next to you at 16 yrs. old, while your trying not to F-up. We had Drivers Ed in High School most kids took it as a summer class, quick and easy that way. My driving instructor was one of the football coaches. Had a big A&M class ring which he turned around on his left had and if you were about to do something stupid he'd step on his brake then wack you in the back of the head. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/lol2.gif) I also remember him making us drive to Mazda dealerships as he was looking for a new RX7... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/huh.gif)

In Cali they have bumped up the age on kids born after a certain date. Not sure what it is but they have to wait till 18. One of my friends kid is 14 this year and she has to wait for 18. As it is the 16-17 kids are not supposed to have other kids in the car, not supposed to drive after a certain hour, not sure of the details tho.

I live in Santa Clarita and I see a lot of kids in very powerful cars and just think it's a bad idea...

Here in LA we also have a lot of ADULTS that are driving for the first time. Couldn't afford a car in what ever country they came from, yada yada. I feel that many of these drivers are much worse that even teenagers. In addition to learning something later in life there is also a language or translation barriers.

Oh well.....