Stay Alive (1962)

Wax chemistry is skippy and doubt. Assuming that we solve these problems, driving a space vehicle could be a part of that future confronted with in approaching the moon. But the odds are that driving a hill right here on Earth will have effect on his life. And we seriously concerned about this more commonplace means of transportation. Far too many young people are being lost and injured in automobile accidents. [Music] Is there a way to stop this shocking waste? The answer is yes. There is a way to stay alive. [Music] [Music] The incident you have just seen has tragic implications. A promising student killed in an automobile accident. The characters were fictional. Yet, the incident itself represents a very real situation. In this automobile era, it just doesn't make sense to educate a future scientist, doctor, or educator and not teach him how to meet his obligations as a driver. Let's examine the problem. This country, the United States, is sometimes called a nation on wheels. In a way, the description is accurate. Just how many cars do we have anyway? Well, few people realize that the total comes to nearly one car for every three people in the United States. This means at least one car per family. Each car travels three times the distance from New York City to San Francisco every year. With more and more cars on our highways, our traffic problems grow proportionately. Complex driving situations and increasing traffic demand that we use our highways in more efficient ways. Of course, we're indebted to these cars of ours for much of our social and economic progress, but we're paying much too high a price in terms of traffic delays and crashes. To complicate the problem, our driving public is growing rapidly. 2 and a2 million young people reach legal driving age every year. And where do these new drivers fit into our statistics? Well, the picture isn't good. Actually, people under 25 years of age make up less than 1 of all our licensed drivers. Yet they are involved in 30% of all highway accidents. On the basis of miles driven, the record of drivers under 20 is still worse. This age group has five times as many accidents as the safest age group for each million miles driven. If you need more evidence, just ask any parent of a teenage boy about the cost of his insurance. You got any idea what my liability policy runs with my son driving the car? Just exactly half again what it would if he didn't. These premiums are killing me. But what can you do? Fortunately, something is being done. As the number of vehicles increases and traffic problems grow, the burden upon the drivers becomes much heavier. And we know this about traffic accidents. Most are preventable and most involve human error. Clearly, today's drivers must accept increasing responsibilities. Driver and traffic education is the best way to achieve these goals. As a school official, I know that our driver education courses have been effective. When young people know how to drive safely, and when they strongly want to do so, they're taking a long step toward preventing accidents and getting the best use out of our streets and highways. They come out of these courses with a good sense of values. They become better all-around citizens. In the first 25 years of driver education, it has saved 5,500 lives and prevented 195,000 injuries. Almost $700 million in economic losses have been averted. Over 30 detailed studies show that high-quality driver education actually cuts the number of accidents involving young people in half. Their violations are greatly reduced, too. Many insurance companies offer reduced premiums to young male drivers who have successfully completed accredited courses. And not the least advantage is the increased economy, efficiency, and enjoyment a good driver receives from his car. that this training does pay off is widely recognized by educators all over the country. It is encouraging that seven out of 10 high schools in the United States offer some type of driver education. The popularity of the courses is indicated by the fact that over half of the eligible students are enrolled in some type of course and a number of state legislatures have looked with favor upon these programs. Lawmakers have provided financial aid specifically for driver education in high schools. Obviously, the acceptance of this program among young people, parents, and schools is widespread despite occasional questions. Driver education, I'm in favor of it. But, you know, I've always thought it was the parents responsibility to see that their kids were good drivers. Driver education is a good thing. Stound idea. But why in high school? Isn't this a job for well the police? The question of when, how, and by whom driver education should be taught is extremely important. A few boys and girls receive satisfactory driving instructions from their parents. But the truth is most of us are very poor driving instructors, particularly for our own children. We don't have the background, the patience, or the time. We generally pass along our own bad driving habits. Developing competent, courteous, responsible, and safe drivers is an exceedingly importing task. It is not a task which should be the responsibility of law enforcement officers. Police personnel are neither trained nor equipped to do such teaching. The place for preparing our youth to drive is in our high schools where there are experienced teachers and a good atmosphere for learning where pupils are accustomed to receiving instruction. They are at the proper age level. Their interest is high. They want to learn to drive. Here, the bulk of all future drivers can be reached. If left on their own, only a very small percentage would ever be adequately trained. This instruction is included in the regular academic program. It is taught in the classroom and in a dual control car. [Music] In the classroom, the pupil studies the psychology of the driver, the effects of a driver's physical condition on his behavior, the natural and man-made laws that govern driving. He begins to relate the basic principles to important personal experiences. Centrifugal force, friction, gravity, power. These terms take on real significance. Equipment is readily available to enrich the teaching. These devices help the students recognize their own strengths and weaknesses, the personal characteristics which will affect their driving ability. [Music] [Music] In the car, he is taught the mechanical fundamentals of automobile operation and much more. As he becomes increasingly expert, he is schooled in various maneuvers. [Music] The goals of the driver education course extend far beyond merely bringing the student to the point of qualifying for a driver's license. Field trips and many other practical assignments stimulate his interest, give him a better understanding of laws, enforcement, and highway and traffic improvement. Each phase of the instruction is aimed at creating a sense of personal duty, an increased respect for law and order. I think the most important thing we get out of a driver's education is a respect for other drivers and people in general. We stop thinking so much about our ourselves and consider the other fellow. I guess you could say we become less selfish. It makes us safety sensible, too. There is no question that these courses are giving us our money's worth. Today, the average price of driver education is about $40 per student, less than the cost of repairing a smashed fender. By careful administration of funds, the amount of money involved can be held below the average. The cost of good driver education is really a sound investment in the future. It will rather quickly be more than made up in lower insurance premiums and in public money saved through accident prevention. In no other way can these lasting values be achieved at anything like such a modest cost. But money alone cannot do the job. To be successful, any course must have a fully qualified instructor. An increasing number of colleges are preparing teachers in this growing field and the number of available teachers is at an all-time high. The themselves are making schedule adjustments to accommodate the courses. If there is a scheduling problem, driver education may be given before or after school hours or on Saturdays as long as it is a part of the regular curriculum. Study hall and other available periods may be employed for the incar phase of the instruction. Dual control automobiles are essential. They are the laboratories where classroom theory is put into practice. While the purchase and lease of cars is increasing, most of the cars for high school courses are loaned through the cooperation of automobile dealers and manufacturers. The school pays only for routine maintenance, insurance, gas, and oil. Such cooperation is indicative of the enthusiasm driver education generates within the community. To build up enthusiasm for good driver education in high schools where such programs do not exist is largely the responsibility of parents and other interested citizens. Through parent teacher associations and other civic groups, they can focus attention on the need for the courses. Conferences should be held with school officials to explain the nature of the program, its purposes, and the results to be expected. Speakers, films, and publications to help promote driver education are available through a number of organizations, including the American Automobile Association. The association has been active in aiding driver education for over a quarter of a century. Numerous text materials and training aids have been developed. AAA conducts studies to determine the extent and effectiveness of driver education in the United States. It has been said that education should be preparation for living. But driver education is more than this. It is a way to stay alive. The day is fast approaching when nearly everyone will want to drive a car as soon as he is legally old enough. And the average person will spend the equivalent of eight full work weeks behind the wheel every year. Driving is an important part of our way of life. It brings both values and problems. While enjoying the values, we must also meet the problems. Our new drivers must be made to realize that being an expert means more than knowing which gadget to operate. They must be prepared to take the responsibilities of our way of life as well as to enjoy its advantages. This then is the challenge to give driver education the emphasis it deserves to see that it attains and keeps its place as a regular subject in all of our high schools to achieve orderly and convenient traffic conditions. Driver education is our greatest hope. [Music]