by: Noah Gloege
National/World Editor

As high school progresses, more high school students start driving. While many individuals are relatively good drivers, I have seen some absurd things happen at the wheel. Many dangerous situations have occurred, whether through my own experiences, stories, or videos on social media, caused through reckless driving. The number of road injuries must be reduced, or we will continue to have more accidents on our highways and roads. To fix the issue, the U.S. should format driver’s education similarly to how most of the world does: starting at an older age and with more hours with a professional instructor.

High schoolers would disagree with this, as they rely on their cars constantly. One way to address the lack of transportation for high schoolers is through pedal-powered or motorized vehicles, such as scooters and bikes. Many people in the Bay Area have not used public transportation, and I highly recommend it. It’s easy to use, promotes social interactions, and protects the environment by taking cars off the roads. For example, when driving to San Francisco from Los Gatos, most people would rather take CA-85. On top of that, they would spend considerable time looking for parking. I highly recommend taking Caltrain all the way; it’s about the same amount of time as driving. Other examples include light rail and Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART). On top of that, most students no longer use their bikes as they did when they were lower-classmen. Using these forms of transportation would allow students to learn the basics of driving and improve their road skills.

The sirens many people hear coming from Highway 17 have become so constant that we need to limit them. The accidents are almost always preventable. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), “an estimated 44,680 people died in preventable traffic crashes in the United States during 2024.” The number of preventable accidents caused by speeding, checking one’s phone, or driving under the influence has seriously endangered our society. We need to focus on improving our driving skills when we are actually on the road, rather than causing unnecessary accidents.

In other countries, the training is usually more intense, more expensive, and more rigorous than in the U.S., with a greater focus on comprehensive training. European tests require mandatory professional lessons and specialized training (nighttime, autobahn) and have higher failure rates, often costing thousands of dollars. Obtaining a license in Europe can cost around €2,000 and takes months, while US teenagers often pay $250 to $400. A more restrictive driver’s education is needed to help reduce the number of accidents. While the training in Europe is more expensive, individuals do have the benefit of a better transport system and receive better training for their spending. Generally, accidents in the Bay Area have resulted from inadequate training and naivety. We need to restructure the driver education system to reduce fatal accidents in our community.

Sources: (BBC, NPR)