Page 38 - The Magazine of AAA Ohio Auto Club – January 2022

Parents Play Critical Role
in Driver Education
By Kimberly Schwind
When Michelle Metcalf’s daughter Molly was learning to drive, she faced the anxiety and frustration common among parents of new teenage drivers.
“It’s always nerve-racking when your child turns of age to be able to get to drive,” said Metcalf.
Metcalf and her husband spent time practicing with their daughter in parking lots and along a two-lane road near their home.
“When you’re on a two-lane road with a child that’s never really driven before, they want to go more toward the ditch, and it’s a little nerve-racking, thinking that you’re going to end up in the ditch,” said Metcalf.
Yet, this practice builds experience, which is key to developing safe drivers.
Car crashes remain the leading cause of death for teenagers, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists inexperience as the No. 1 reason for teen crashes. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, new teen drivers have highly elevated crash rates during the first few months of independent
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driving. Rear-end, intersection and run-off-road crashes account for the majority of these crashes.
This impacts everyone, as about two-thirds of those injured or killed in teen driver-related crashes are someone other than the teen driver, according to AAA Foundation research.
To help teens gain the necessary experience, Ohio law requires new drivers, under the age of 18, to accumulate 50 hours of experience with a licensed adult over age 21. Ten of those hours must be at night. Teens also must take 24 hours of classroom education and complete eight hours of behind-the-wheel training with a licensed instructor before obtaining a license.
“Driver training is an integral part of preparing teen drivers in Ohio for a lifetime of driving,” said Felice Moretti, director, Ohio Traffic Safety Office.
By the time Molly started behind-the-wheel training at AAA Driver Education, she had already accumulated the state-required 50 hours of experience with her parents. Driving instructors recommend at least 10-15 hours of
36 | AAA MAGAZINE
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