What are the cost issues associated with teen driver training?

Is there a way to provide driver education to all New York teenagers?

In New York, driver education is not mandatory for teenagers. The 712 programs offered are a collaboration with NYSED, the Department of Motor Vehicles and local schools. But school participation is increasingly smaller, despite increased awareness of teen fatalities, including the “100 Deadliest Days” between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Driving education for teens can cost between $600 and $700. Many remember when driver education was a course taught in schools, but funding and manpower issues saw it removed from many schools.

There is an educational course as part of a community engagement program at Manlius Pebble Hill School. Students like high school senior Uday Atwal say taking this course definitely calms their new driver's nerves.

“I was a little nervous about starting to drive, and of course it's a very scary thing for someone who doesn't do it very often,” Atwal said. “So I thought this would definitely be something that would help me improve my driving skills and become a better, safer driver.

“I also had a very unfortunate experience in high school, where I got into serious car accidents during my senior year. And it was my fault in both cases,” Botting said. “Both of these could have easily been avoided.”

So why don't all schools teach driving? Lawmakers say it's all about money.

“It's up to each school district to determine what they want to spend and what they want to spend it on. So I would say to parents who live in this area that they should be active with their school boards,” said the MP . Bill Magnarelli (D-129), “and ask them to put this back on the agenda.”

The family budget is also an obstacle that adolescents must overcome. Mariana Newton, an 11th grader, understands.

“I miss softball every Wednesday coming to this class and I'm grateful for that, because…I don't have my mom or dad in the passenger seat, helping me through the situation and reminding me of that that Mr. Botting taught me,” Newton said. “The knowledge I gained is more than the money the courses cost me.”

The costs raise questions about equitable access to driver education for all students. It's a topic Magnarelli worked on as a member of the transportation committee.

“There have been bills submitted to the Transportation Committee, which I chair in the Assembly, that would sort of allow private companies to come in and give driving lessons,” Magnarelli said. “The problem so far has been that these drivers are not certified teachers, whereas… the driving instructors were teachers, which means they are certified. They know how to take care of children and they were checked.

Twenty-three states ensure that drivers are tested and require driver training for all drivers under 18 years old. New York does not require driver training, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. New York teens can get an unrestricted license at age 16 and cheaper insurance rates by taping the brakes and taking the course.

This Manlius Pebble Hill Schools Community Program course costs $625. The school offers financial aid and payment plans. Officials are working to find grants to reduce or eliminate costs for teens. For more details, contact [email protected] or call the Summer Programs office at 315-446-2452. You can also call your local school board and see if driver training could be added to the program.