I was just in a debate about cell phone use when driving, and a lot of people complained about the flagrant disregard for traffic rules some cell phone users display. In my mind, though, I think people are turning a correlation into a causation situation. Does cell phone use really cause poorer driving? Or is it just the fact that more people are on cell phones, so of course more poor drivers will be using cell phones?
From this idea, I've come up with a grand scheme to improve traffic safety. Simply put, people need to take driver's ed again after they've received their license.
Now, I don't want people to take the whole multi-month sequence; I think that's a bit of overkill. But I do propose that people take a refresher version of driver's ed (say, defensive driving) that is perhaps 6 or 8 hours long. If you think about it, we get most of our driving education before or just as we're learning to drive, but continued education could certainly prove useful. I took defensive driving a few times during college; my school required it to drive school vehicles (they had a computer program and video series for the course), and I also had to take a program from Sears' driving school in order to remove a speeding ticket from my record. From these two refresher courses, I feel my driving dramatically improved. I reviewed lessons I had forgotten from driver's ed, and I learned new tidbits and ways of thinking about the road in front of me. My favorite lesson was learning about when to move over when passing someone: you are okay to move back over once you see their headlights in your rearview mirror. Any sooner, and you're cutting the person off.
This is what I propose:
-> Require a short driver's ed class to get a license. If you're over 18, perhaps this "class" could be just taking the 6 hour defense driving class.
-> Before you're allowed to renew your license at the 4 or 5 year mark, require the 6-8 hour class again. Now that people have had plenty of time to practice driving, it could help clarify and solidify some road rules that passed by in the first instance of the class.
-> Every ten years thereafter, require the class again.
Yes, it would add to the cost of getting a license. It is another burden for people. But you could teach these classes just like you do food safety classes (required for a food handler's permit): teach them with videos and books in a large room, and have a test afterward to check retention of knowledge. In that way, I bet you could bring the cost down to $8-10 per person for the class.
We require a class every 2 years to get a food handler's permit in order to prevent illness and death. Why not require something similar for a practice that has just as great a potential to cause harm?