Can Mandatory Driving Tests Every 10 Years Improve Driver Competency?

[Greg Bernhardt]

I've seen some pretty crazy things drivers have done. Just today I saw someone pull a U turn right in front of me going down a one way road! I say test drivers every 10 years. I'm willing to put my tax dollars towards that.

 

[iansmith]

Greg, the problem is not passing the test. Most people know what to do to pass the driving test but nobody sticks to the rules afterward.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

I'm not just talking about a behind the wheel test, but a written test.

 

[quantumdude]

I think Ian's point still holds though. Bad drivers know the rules, they just don't care for them.

What is needed is the death penalty for traffic violations.

 

[BoulderHead]

Was the person young or old?
For the old, 10 years might be too long a wait. I'm thinking much sooner. For the young men, testosterone reducing drugs could help. For the women, well let's just say I have noticed some pretty rude drivers out there (maybe they just saw me and got frightened )

 

[Kerrie]

you think we are bad here in the united states-you should see how they drive in europe!

 

[quantumdude]

Yeah--on the wrong side of the road!

 

[Dissident Dan]

I say that they re-test and they have harder tests and more harsh penalties.

 

[GENIERE]

Many rude people drive today. Just the other day, I was on the freeway in the center lane doing about 80mph with my cell-phone tucked between my right shoulder and ear. I was holding my pager in my left hand, steering with my knees, and writing with my right hand on a note pad attached to the center of the steering wheel. I was somewhat distracted when my lit cigarette fell between my legs. Looking up, I found myself in the left lane. The driver of the car behind me was blowing his horn and gesturing violently. He was very rude!

Regards

 

[BoulderHead]

Originally posted by GENIERE
Many rude people drive today. Just the other day, I was on the freeway in the center lane doing about 80mph with my cell-phone tucked between my right shoulder and ear. I was holding my pager in my left hand, steering with my knees, and writing with my right hand on a note pad attached to the center of the steering wheel. I was somewhat distracted when my lit cigarette fell between my legs. Looking up, I found myself in the left lane. The driver of the car behind me was blowing his horn and gesturing violently. He was very rude!

Regards

There ought to be a law against people like that. The NERVE...

 

[Dissident Dan]

When auto pilot becomes mainstream, hopefully these problems will be eliminated.

 

[megashawn]

Well, how about the opinion of a former "Young one".

I can't speak for everywhere, but in North Carolina, old people are the center of chaos on the highways.

People don't think about how there actions can chain react. Something as simple as tapping the brakes can lead to a pile up in the wrong circumstances.

Honestly, I feel license test and driving school is not thorough enough. I was raised in a family with gasoline in our veins. I've been racing something with a motor since I was 6 years old. I learned all about 4 wheel driving racing alcohol powered go-karts in and around Charlotte.

Anyhow, I found drivers ed incredibly easy, and passed with flying colors. My main reasons I felt were my prior racing expieriance and also Video game expieriance. Games such as NFS and other rally games, up until the pinacle of racing games, Gran Turismo.

Well, back to the point, I feel that people get there drivers license without understanding how to drive. Why are there so many stupid wrecks? Because people lack the knowledge to drive out of many situations. They have never expierianced a controlled 4 wheel drift, and therefore, know nothing of controlling a sliding vehicle.

Now, it is not feasible to submit every person to my early lifestyle. What is feasible is that there actually be a "Driving School" one must attend to attain a drivers license. Here, a person can be taught to recover from a number of slides, proper braking, acceleration and APEX (aka groove to you nascar fans). I also think that in order to get a license, one should be able to score at least silvers on all the Gran Turismo License test. Of course they could call it something else.

And while there is a lot of hype over Fast and Furious as of late, and kids are starting to get more and more ballsy behind the wheel, I truly think that a lot of younger drivers are doing pretty good. They get a bad rap from old people. I can't think how many times I've been forced into a vary close call by a person who can barely see or hear or even look over the steering wheel.

I also am pissed at the cell phone thing. You see, I can drive perfectly fine and converse on the phone. I can even shift gears and not swerve an inch. I know many others who can as well. The problem here is a group of people, I like to call them idiots, who cannot drive. Now, they get a cell phone. From the following formula:

Can't Drive + Talking Cell Phone = your going to hit a tree, car, kid, etc.

But, if you substitute the TCP with anything else, like, having a deep thought, or chewing bubble gum, you will find that the solution does not change.

As far as driving with your knees, that is also a possible method of driving. The only thing I cannot do is take a 90 degree turn at a decent (25mph) speed. As far as speeding down country roads or around Dirt ovals, I have no problem controlling my vehicle with my knees, leaving my hands free to operate the hearing impaired horns.

But yes, getting a drivers license should be much harder. While they have made it harder for kids to get there license, they have done nothing to the actuall method and education that goes into it.

Race car drivers are terrified of city driving. Ask any of them. These men are professionally trained, drive at high speeds for a living. You see, as a decent driver, your major worry is not if you can handle the situation, but more so if everybody else on the road is capable of such. This is why people should have to go through a SCCA approved driving school before obtaining a license to drive.

 

[Zero]

Let me just add that SUVs have made things so much worse. Non-driving morons in SUVs simply don'yt watch out for anyone else, because they think they are safe, and never mind the people they kill.

 

[megashawn]

Oh god I forgot all about SUV's, there horrible. Aside from the things you mention, there also incredibly inneficient, and rarely used for there designed purpose.

SUV's were designed to be offroad machines. They were not meant for Joe to drive 50 miles away to work in or Sally to take her kids to Soccer practice. I think the original intention was to get people to get into the outdoors a little more, but unfortunately it has only brought havoc to the streets.

Outlaw Suvs and minivans, they kill more people the pot ever has.

 

[kyle_soule]

SUV's support terrorism

Driving tests would help, but the people that give the tests need to be more strict. My grandmother just re-took her driving test at somewhere in her 80's, she has had numorous hip surgiers, and cannot even walk without a walker, she can barely even move her legs, but she passed her driving test...I think the problem lies with many parents too, they don't drive with their kids at all, or not enough. Also, when you mix a 16 year old going 80 down the road, and a 61 year old going 35 (in a 55, as I have seen many, many times) you get bad things. Young drivers aren't always to blaim, I have never pulled out in front of anybody in my 3 years of driving, but I have had lots of adults pull out in front of me, almost causing accidents.

The above is void in a school parking lot though, especially high school, it is normal to get bumps and dents every day in the school parking lots, from immature drivers, usually male. More often than not it is the female that drives crazy on the road though, in my experience

 

[megashawn]

But see, simply "making the test more strict" will not do anything to help. The test lack things a driver needs to know. Signs are important, but not as much as knowing your vehicle. Really, I think that people would benefit from local sponsored road courses for people to learn, and teens to transfer there hormones to the pavement.

Making the test more confusing and less informative is not the way to imrpove drivers. Teaching them how to drive is the way to improve drivers. Raising fines and increasing laws will not do anything to help the driver, rather hurt them. I mean, if you have a rash, do you start scratching it with your nails then break out the wire brush, or do you get some medication to cure the problem?