Published: June 04, 2008 11:02 pm         

Insurance making young drivers bide time

FAIRLEA — With the bevy of high school students turning their clocks from class time to summer time, an estimated 125,000 West Virginia teenagers — all old enough to ask Mom and Dad “for the keys to the Buick” — could be appearing soon on a country road near you.

Although that might prompt some adult drivers to keep their cars garaged — if gas prices haven’t already — take solace in the fact that many parents these days are requiring their kids to wait until age 17 and take a high school driver education course before anyone is backing their Buick out of the garage.

The reason? Insurance companies will give big discounts to those who complete the course.

Greenbrier East instructor Marion Gordon, who has taught driver education the last 30 years, said national statistics bear out that inexperienced drivers are more accident prone and have a much higher fatality rate than older drivers. During his tenure at GEHS, Gordon said, much has changed about the course and teen drivers.

“Years ago, you had to be 16 before you could get your learner’s permit, but now you can drive when you’re 15 years old,” Gordon said. “Plus, I’m not the only teacher now. Karen Goodall teaches in the classroom when I am out driving with the students. And the cars are a lot faster these days and all of the instruction vehicles are front-wheel drive.”

In the classroom, computer technology has also changed how courses — offered as an elective — are taught, but actual driving is still a mainstay of the course, Gordon said. Other states require a driver ed class before issuing licenses and California also offers the non-driving portion of the class online.

West Virginia also participates in a graduating driver’s license program which consists of three phases, allowing students to earn better driving privileges before turning 18, Gordon said.

At GEHS, the course requires 50 hours of classroom instruction, 10 hours of in-car observation and six hours of driving time for those who have not passed their learner’s permit.

“There is a lot of hands-on experience behind the wheel and we have classes every other day now for 90 minutes,” Gordon said. “But we also make sure the students know the fundamentals of checking their oil and wiper fluids and tire pressures.”

Bill Lewis Motors, a local car dealership, provides new vehicles for the course each year. This year students learned to drive in a 2008 Impala LTZ, he said.

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State Farm Insurance agent Sue Jeffries-Spicer said there’s plenty of incentive for parents to persuade their kids to take the high school course before revving it up on the highways.

“Completing the course will reduce their premium by an average of 25 percent and they get to keep that on their record until they get married or turn 25 years old,” explained Spicer, whose offices are in White Sulphur Springs.

Lindsay Cochran, 17, of Lewisburg, took the course to help lower her insurance and plans on taking her learner’s permit test in a few weeks..

“I’ve learned a lot about different strategies on braking and I’ve learned to always try and think about what’s in front of me,”

Although Nathan Callison earned his learner’s permit last October, he also waited until the age of 17 before driving around his hometown of Lewisburg.

“I’ve learned a lot in this class about not breaking the speed limit and not to accelerate a lot,” he said.

But there’s one portion of the class Gordon hopes every student will take more seriously then others.

“Don’t drink and drive, and if it does happen, call me or another adult and we will come and pick you up,” he said. “And always wear your seatbelt.”

— E-mail: cgiggenbach@register-herald.com