Driving In High School

By Victor Garcia

“A driver's license is one biggest factor of a high school student experience,” mention Christopher Garcia a Freshman. High school students are given the opportunity to study for their permit and their driver’s license under the age of 18.

In order to get learner’s permit, you gotta be 15 years old and 6 months (15 ½). Ages 18 and under are required to have a parental or guardian written consent. Even have to complete driver’s ed.  So when a teenager obtains a learner's permit they can start to learn how to drive with a parental or guardian supervision. When the teenager passes the official driving test. They can receive their driving license and legally drive independently.
Under those circumstances, students feel that driving is a step to freedom and independent. Samantha Alvarado stated “Driving itself is important to me, it gives me freedom. Also, the ability to go somewhere and not have my {plans} determined on my parent's schedule.”  Therefore we believe that driving can be important to others and me. It can help families, for instance, if my mother needed me to take my younger siblings to school then I will. Driving is a big part of our everyday lives: driving to school, work, sports practice, and anywhere we want to go.
On the other hand, Parents feel that driving at a young age(18-16) can be scary. It can potentially kill yourself or others. Car crashes are extremely dangerous, 47 percent of a car crash is affecting with underage drivers. The amount of underage car crash is unbearable.  A Firewolves parent Nancy Vasquez stated “driving is a job for mature and responsible human beings or it can lead to car crashes. Which means people dying.”
Not to mention, California driving requirements states that we have to complete driver’s ed class. If we’re under the age of 17 ½. As the matter of fact, we have to have 25 hours of classroom lessons and complete 6 hours of behind the wheel driving. Driver’s ed covers the basic fundamentals of being a safe and responsible driver. It teaches you the pertinent laws in California and helps identify the specific roads signs.  Although we are required to take driver’s ed class if we’re under the age of 17 ½. However, we believe that it can improve a drivers knowledge about driving and decrease the chances of car crashes
 
 Although this may be true, other underage drivers believe that it's a waste of time and money. They feel that they can put the time in learning with a parental or guardian supervision and the money can go for the use of buying a car. A freshman Kayla Ocampo states that “even though I really like to drive independently but my family struggles with money, so I am not able to afford driver ed classes.”
Furthermore, teachers have their different perspectives . Some  feel that if students drive independently they will increase the rates of car crashes. Our P.E. teacher Mr.Kalbhenn stated that he would allow students to drive if there were no cell phones or drugs involved. Other teachers believe differently. They think that teenage driving can build character. It can potentially build responsibility, maturity, and mostly know a skill that is used for our everyday life.
Ultimately having driver’s drive at a young age or whether we should have driver’s ed classes. All these facts and information is considered. I personally believe that we should offer driver’s ed and that the benefits outweigh any downsides.  One major reason a driver’s ed course would be useful is so that students can help out their family with transportation if needed. Many households struggle to transport their children to school along with their own work commute. Having another driver in the family would make things much easier and less stressful. Not only does it help with family transportation but also it’s good practice to drive. Students are most likely to be in a car crash if there no practice driving. Having more practice can decrease the chances of car crashes. Equally important, driver’s ed classes are beneficial to learn the basic and more advanced road signs. Obviously, I believe we should offer driver’s ed courses. Even at school!

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