Terra Holderman — News Editor
Morgan Sasser — Reporter
- Junior Dylan Eklund is one of many students who chose to enroll in public Behind the Wheel as opposed to private.
As rising 16-year-olds struggle to meet the DMV requirements to obtain their driver’s licenses, many are faced with the decision to choose between public and private Behind the Wheel programs.
Fairfax County offers Public Behind the Wheel class. According to Ms. Susan Shifflett, a Driver’s Ed teacher at Langley, this publicly offered class better prepares students for the road.
“The private companies tend not to monitor their instructors and many students that we speak with tell us stories of sleeping instructors, shortened driving times and wasted time.”
Sophomore Grace Shomaker, who took private Behind the Wheel, agrees with the idea that private companies aren’t as focused on producing strong drivers as public companies. “I don’t like private Behind the Wheel because it didn’t prepare me,” she stated.
On the other hand, private programs prove popular because of the convenience they give customers. In most cases, instructors pick up students at their homes and, after the session is complete, students are again dropped off at home, at a time they choose.
“It was really convenient because my instructor worked to fit my schedule,” said sophomore Jake Robie, who worked with Walter’s Driving School.
However, with some private programs, actually learning how to drive can prove to be a challenge. Most driving time is spent picking up other students, and therefore technical work Behind the Wheel is sometimes lacking. No exercises through cones are conducted, nor practice in a parking lot.
“I didn’t feel like I got that much actual instruction,” said Robie.
Coming next year, teenagers won’t be the only ones struggling with the licensing process. A new “Parent-Teen Driving Program” will be required for all students who wish to get a license. In addition to the student having to complete classroom driver’s education in P.E., the student’s parent must complete a 90 minute driver’s education class before the teen receives his or her green card, which is a mandatory component in the process of obtaining a driver license.