The written driving test needs be supplemented with a simulator test that improves the scope of the education for safety. This includes black ice episodes at speed; ice road protocol (uphill gives way); horse, deer and stock animal driving protocol (like a deer that jumps out in front of the car in simulation forcing a crash situation where the person's avoidance technique is tested.Too many people are licensed to drive, but are not literate on roads protocol that is implicit to their safety. If the education process is to prepare drivers for the reality, then the current system can be greatly improved with simulation training and testing. Then real life scenarios that are beyond the simplistic driving rules (ones that might save a life) can be tested even if no ice roads or deer strikes are about.
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Perhaps, instead of a standard test, once the virtual driving system is set up, it could be arranged as an open facility much as a game situation so that if a participant has trained sufficiently on the facility to react properly he or she could get a printout of the successful score to indicate driving competence.
Great idea. Simmulators are already used at many driving schools. Inertia will no doubt delay adoption by state testing facilities, but I expect simulators will be adopted eventually.
I sort-of think a simulator is really overkill for the simple act of driving. And having used aviation simulators, I think unless you're in one of those million-dollar ones (which I've also used), it's kind of a joke. Most of our kids have been driving cars in video games for years, but yes, a video game is not a driving simulator. But if you get one that has a chair, a real steering wheel, a set of pedals, etc, you're spending more than the price of my beater I drive to work.
I always make them drive the riding mower for a couple of summers before they can test. It's a real-world vehicle that requires real hand-eye coordination and real-time judgement. Then I put them in a beater on a country road for a bit. But I really believe the current 40-hour log book kids have to do with their safety driver (parent) is the best idea for learning the road and learning the rules.
Driver's ed class logs about five hours total for each student. Not sufficient.
Actually, just like in aviation, the act of controlling the vehicle is only a small part--I have more difficulty following the rules for both planes and cars.
As for what you'll do when a deer shows up, I've met-with two of them in the last eight years and neither time was there anything I could do. One came out from under the car in front of me, and the other actually crashed into the side of my car, I didn't hit him.
Nothing can simulate the real-world.
Simulations may help, but you have to tell them to be prepared for so much more. Driving is the most dangerous thing. It is the #1 cause of death in the U.S. Yet we take the risk regularly.
Get off your lazy butts! It will save you in MANY more ways than one!