A student walks out of the DMV, paperwork in hand, unsure of what to do after. They have just passed the learner’s permit test and do not know where to start the next steps.
The process of getting a driver’s license is accomplished by completing an online course, passing a written test, and finally passing a driving test. Many SCHS students and staff discussed the history and feasibility of having a driver education course offered on campus.
Previously, driver education classes had been offered by California high schools up until 1990 to give prospective student drivers a set pathway to get their license. In recent times, schools have stopped offering these classes in their course catalogs.
Senior Allison Nguyen has been learning to drive since sophomore year and just received their student permit in December. After completing the mandatory online course, they have been using online quizzes and the California Driver’s Handbook to study for the permit test.
Nguyen felt that the online course was difficult to get through, which is part of the reason why they took so long to finish it. Nguyen also noted how the online education course has a specific time requirement, forcing users to wait a certain amount of time before they can move on to the next lesson.
“It’s really slow. It makes it hard to pay attention so often, so I feel like I’ll just skip over it instead of actually learning,” Nguyen said.
Vice Principal Sharon Freeman revealed that the self-paced nature of an online driver’s education may be detrimental to the individual.
“It was boring,” Freeman said. “I think that’s why in the self-paced (driver’s education), sometimes people take their time on it.”
In addition to the online education’s self-paced nature, Freeman also feels the cost of driver education could be harmful. While the online driver’s course is affordable, behind-the-wheel driving lessons are a few hundred dollars.
Aside from benefiting students financially, Vice Principal Tony Lam believes that a school sponsored program would help those new to driving improve the school’s future driving culture.
“I think it would be good for the betterment of society, as we have new drivers coming onto the roads every year,” Lam said.
Despite the staff’s encouragement, the school could face various obstacles to bring back a driver’s course to campus. The staff who would teach the driving classes would need special permits and insurance forms and would face the risks of teaching an inexperienced driver.
“You have some young and inexperienced driver behind a 2000 pound vehicle with 150 horsepower. That could potentially become deadly if it’s not handled correctly,” Lam said.
A class specifically catered toward the online course is possible but would need to be proposed to the school district, where the viability and the allocation of resources to teach the course would be determined.
In agreement to bring the course back to the SCHS campus, many staff and students are in favor of having a class guiding individuals to driving safely.
“(Students) really should really know the rules of the road and have a driver’s education program that talks about the importance of road safety, not only for yourself, but for other people on the road,” said Lam.