I went through Driver’s Education here at North Forsyth during my junior year. When we practiced driving we went on a simulator. When I used the simulators they affected my driving when I drove with a vehicle. The simulators are nothing like a vehicle and with little experience behind the wheel I was hesitant and anxious to drive. In my opinion, a driving course with an actual vehicle within Driver’s Education should be optional. If instructors instruct students to drive in a controlled environment, for example in an unoccupied parking lot; we are able to experience what driving is like. If students are encouraged to get their license or permit in school with instructors; it will help students gain confidence. Nowadays, teenagers are more hesitant to take control of a vehicle. 

 I asked a couple students at North Forsyth High School. 

Freshman 1 said, “Yeah, I think I am.” The last student said, “I can drive a go kart and that’s about it. I haven’t practiced actually driving a car and I don’t know what you’re supposed to do.” Knowing the basic controls of a car is useful, but knowing how to operate the controls are different. If students are encouraged to get their license or permit  in school with instructors; it will help students gain confidence.

Janis Perry, the first student is a junior. I first asked how she felt towards driving and her response was, “Pretty anxious and nervous.” When I asked why, she responded with “I feel like I can’t drive that well and there are other drivers close to me; my anxiety rises.” Let’s see what the second students said.

The second student is a senior and Carmen’s Dethomas response was similar, “When I first started, I was very nervous.” Dethomas then shared her driving experience when she first started driving and it went something like this. “[I was] driving with my dad and [almost] went off the road. I swerved back[into the lane] and good thing there wasn’t a car there because I would have hit someone. Later that day I hit a curb and my blinker [wasn’t working properly],” stated DeThomas. This experience can be traumatic for a student driver, especially when they are just starting. 

The third student is also a senior; Gracie Zimmerman shares the same feelings as the first student.

“I am scared a little, it’s fun, but I clam up a little bit. So I hesitate a lot which is not very safe especially for other drivers,” stated the third student. 

If students are encouraged to get their license or permit  in school with instructors; it will help students gain confidence. In my opinion we should have that course option within Driver’s Ed  in school.