Congratulations! You are nearing the end of a driver education training
course. You have learned important skills that will make you a safe and
effective driver. End of course completion cards will be available on
Friday, November 13, 2009 at Coach Vonner's classroom, room 3 in the main
building. Though you have reached another level in your quest for driving
perfection, it is a life long road that is forever changing and we must be
prepared for all that is in front of us. There were five skills that were
truly emphasized in this class.
They include:
1. Efficiency at intersections
2. Importance of following distance (4 seconds)
3. Learning how to maneuver curves safely at low and high speeds
4. Car control and speed control skills
5. Defensive Driving Skills (using the Smith System)
A. Aim High, Look Ahead
B. Keep your eyes moving
C. Get the Big Picture
D. See and Be Seen (Communication)
E. Keep a safety Margin (Escape route)
There were far more skills developed but the aforementioned ones are so
important for young drivers to learn in class. Eventually most everyone
learns them, but learning them in a matter of weeks in driver education is
levels the driving field faster.
Remember driver Education at Milan High School is a serious skill and
academic course presented to students to help them make informed decisions
about driving. Driving in Tennessee is a privilege and not a right. The
state is not required to give anyone a license; one must earn that right by
acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills to pass the pertinent
examinations.
It is important that parents provide a positive example for their children
while driving. Children do as their parents do; children are always
watching. Students must complete fifty hours of documented driving
experience before they are granted a license; parents must sign off that
students have completed this requirement. Many young people view the use of
seatbelts as a "necessary evil" and when not being watched do not use them.
A recent assessment of seat belt use by the instructor at S. First Street and
Kefauver Drive showed a less than fifty percent usage of seat belts from cars
that cross that point. The use of seat belts have and will continue to save
lives, however a student does not feel compel to use them if their parents
arent't using them. So we must mount an effort to encourage seat belt use in
the Milan area.
Driving is more than being able to "hold it in the road" but also to
understand and apply rules of the road and how they can make one safer.
This course enables a student to understand rules that will help them make
wise driving decisions. Driving is a social activity that requires one to
know that they must share the road with others in a safe manner and it is
not what one thinks should be done but how it legally works with others on
the road.
