Preparing students for the road ahead

    There are a number of requirements that citizens under the age of 18 must meet to get their driver’s licenses. There are tests, behind the wheel, age, and of course, Drivers Education.  Since its establishment in 1954, AHS has offered its Drivers Ed. program as a part of Physical Education.  Every year, Annandale’s sophomores are taught the rules and regulations of driving over the course of a quarter.  Located just to the side of the jock lobby, the Drivers Ed. room is a place that students learn how to become better drivers.

    Sophomores are scheduled for the course according to the date of their birthday.  Many students dislike the fact that you are only eligible to attend during your 10th grade year.

    “I got my learners permit during my freshman year, so it would have been more convenient to have taken DE then, as opposed to now,” said sophomore Nathan Mitchell.

    Other 10th graders get their permits during their sophomore year.  The ages of the students are, for the most part, synchronized with the school year and the timing is just right.

    “I had already been through Drivers Ed. before I got my learners permit,” said AHS alumni Alex Doumbia, “ I don’t think that the timing could have been better.”

    Teaching Drivers Ed. the right way  is a very difficult job.  The responsibility to make sure that the kids understand driving lessons is very difficult. Pat Hughes, the Drivers Ed. teacher in AHS, has been teaching sophomores the rules of the road for many years.  Most teachers have a difficult time getting through to teenagers, and finding ways to effectively communicate with them can seem impossible.

    “I use humor to get through to the kids and try to connect with them by using stories and videos,” said Hughes.

    Using humor is a great way to attract students’ attention, but another method is the exact opposite. Shock value is one of the biggest ways of making sure that the students are paying attention.

    “Students are taught the severity of crashes,” said Hughes.

    Some videos shown in the class depict frightening glimpses of the real world. Many videos show gruesome pictures and film clips of accidents and deaths of those who do not practice safe driving.

    The number of teen deaths in the U.S. as a result of auto accidents is enormous.  In 2004, 4,767 teens, ages 16-19 were killed in car crashes, and in 2005, almost 400,000 teens 16-19 were involved in a crash and suffered severe, non-fatal injuries.  One of the greatest factors of auto crashes is alcohol. About 39% of all fatal car crashes involve this deadly substance.“I see people drive drunk all the time, especially after Redskins games,” said Mitchell.

    Although intoxication is a major cause of accidents, it is not the only cause.  Young drivers depend on parental guidance as a source of learning. The main problem with that source of knowledge is that some parents do not do a good enough job in reprimanding their kids’ driving.

    “The number of teen driving related deaths is extremely high,” said Mitchell. “I think that if teens weren’t so poorly taught by their parents, that number would be much lower.”

    Drivers Ed. teaches kids more than just how to avoid accidents.  Right now, students are learning about street signs and road markings. Drivers Ed. also helps young drivers understand the technical aspect of driving such as road signs and laws, as opposed to actually teaching students how to drive.  Without Drivers Ed., Virginia would not be as safe of a place to drive as it is.