“It’s the most dangerous thing a teen can do.”
Pam Fischer, Driver’s ed instructor at West Morris High School
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| Photo by Illinois Vehicle |
Back in high school, my most dreaded class was driver’s ed. It’s not that I feared driving, but the class was, well, boring. The driving simulators sounded like fun—they were not. Driving with the instructor could be fun if you got the teacher who let you stop at A&W for a root beer—I did not.
So I’m glad I don’t live in Chester, New Jersey (population 1,657). Don’t get me wrong. The historic town sounds charming with its brick sidewalks and horse-drawn carriage rides. It’s just that West Morris High School in Chester requires parents to take driver’s ed with their kids. The class focuses on the dangers of teen driving and encourages parents to monitor their kids. A few dozen other schools in New Jersey have similar programs, and the state is considering making them mandatory. For the most part, parents like the idea. It makes them feel safer.
I do recall feeling stressed when my son learned to drive. Would it have made me feel safer if I had taken driver’s ed with him? Nah, I don’t think so. It probably would’ve made me feel drowsy and caused visions of simulators and root beers to dance in my head.
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