On Sun, Jun 12, 2011 at 09:52:27PM -0400, William Chops Westfield wrote:
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> On Jun 9, 2011, at 7:24 AM, PICdude wrote:
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> > I can't understand what's supposed to bridge the gap for others.
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> Well, things are improving.  Sort of.  In California, for instance, if =20
> you're under 18 (when most people learn to drive), you're required to =20
> take an approved classroom (or online) class, complete about 8 hours =20
> of on-the-road training with an approved instructor, and complete an =20
> additional 50 hours of adult-supervised driving (including 10 hours of =20
> nighttime driving) before you can get take the road test (which is =20
> actually on-road (but doesn't go on-freeway)) to get your license. =20

Georgia is just about the same. To quote:

http://www.dds.ga.gov/Joshua

"Senate Bill 226 also known as "Joshua's Law" was passed during the 2005
General Assembly. Beginning January 1, 2007, all 16 year-olds applying for
a Class D driver's license must complete an approved driver education
course and complete a total of 40 hours of supervised driving, 6 hours of
which must be at night, with a parent or guardian's sworn verification that
these requirements have been met. Any Georgia resident who has not
completed an approved driver education course must be at least 17 years old
to be eligible for a Class D driver's license. He or she must have
completed a total of at least 40 hours of supervised driving, including at
least 6 hours at night. The same verification in writing by a parent or
guardian is required."

In addition there are stricter requirements on the class D license,
including a curfew and a minimum of a year's suspension for a wide variety
of rule breakage, including any alcohol, drag racing, passing a stopped
school bus, and leaving school.

> Then there are additional restrictions for the first year after you =20
> get your license.

Same here. First 6 months is driver only, next 6 is family only. After than
a maximum of 4 people in the car

> (Of course, if you're OVER 18, none of this applies.  Just go in and =20
> take the road test.  Everyone knows that being over 18 immediately =20
> gives one better driving skills!)

Bingo. Somehow it's a magic number.
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I'm currently teaching my 15 YO. She'll be in driving school this summer.
My basic game plan is to have kids drive as much as possible in as many
types of conditions as possible. By the time she goes for her license,
she'll have 500 hours of driving time, not 40.

BAJ

>=20
>=20
> > I always figured that when I have kids of driving age, I would get
> > them into auto-crossing for some proper car-handling skills, as IMO
> > when the car does things that are not normal (sliding, skidding, etc),
> > inexperienced drivers get all confused and just let go.
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> I have mixed feelings.  I would bet that most accidents in new drivers =20
> do NOT occur under adverse conditions (I wonder if insurance =20
> statistics would say?)  And the world certainly doesn't need a bunch =20
> of overconfident drivers thinking they can treat the road like an =20
> autocross track, just because they got some training to do so.  A new =20
> driver needs training in the sort of circumstances that they're =20
> actually most likely  to see when they start driving on their own.  =20
> Mostly that means paying attention to other drivers.  (at least here, =20
> where we don't often have anything that would be termed "bad weather.")
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> My daughter passed her driving test about a week ago...
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> BillW
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--=20
Byron A. Jeff
Department Chair: IT/CS/CNET
College of Information and Mathematical Sciences
Clayton State University
http://cims.clayton.edu/bjeff
--=20
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