There is pending legislation in Minnesota that would require all residents under the age of 21 to take the same driver’s education courses as teenagers in order to obtain a license.
Most of the United States has additional requirements for motorists that aren’t yet legal adults, including Minnesota. The state mandates 30 hours education for anyone under 18 that wants to obtain a license. Likewise needed are several hours of training behind the wheel, with an extra 50 hours of practice with a licensed driver. A proposal from Rep. Andrew Myers (R) seeks to have that age raised to 21, effectively requiring most new drivers to take specialized courses before getting behind the wheel.
According to local outlet KSTB, the bill ( HF3998) is operating on the presumption that this will reduce accidents. It’s not a secret that novice drivers tend to make more mistakes, with the relevant statistics being used as grounds for passing new legislation.
From KSTB:
Statistics show drivers aged 18 to 20 who skip driver’s ed are 75 [percent] more likely to get a traffic ticket and 24 [percent] more likely to be involved in a fatal crash.
Minneapolis resident Isaac George expressed uncertainty about the bill’s effectiveness.
He suggested that updating road designs in high-traffic areas might do a better job of keeping drivers safe.
“Fix some of the off and on ramps in the city, they’re not big enough for people to merge on and off at the same time,” said George.
Subsequent coverage from other outlets have shown residents offering mixed opinions. Some seem to like the idea while others believe there are bigger issues that need to be dealt with. Accident rates have been climbing in recent years. While a lack of proper training and misunderstanding the rules of the road undoubtedly plays an issue, they’re not the only factors.
Growing disparities in vehicle mass is a major component. Modern cars are much larger and heavier than older models, even in the same vehicle class. Larger vehicles are simultaneously assumed to have contributed to surging pedestrian fatalities. Distracted driving has likewise become a cause for concern, especially now that manufacturers have made touchscreens the default user interface.
It also needs to be said that more people living in America are foregoing obtaining licenses and insurance. While some of that is down to financial issues, the brunt of the problem stems from the influx of illegal immigrants. Only about 20 states (including Minnesota) actually have an avenue for immigrants to obtain a license. But they remain statistically less likely to acquire one, even if they’re living in a place that gives them an avenue to do so.
Firm figures on the matter are impossible to obtain. But census data from 2023 estimated that there were at least 12 million undocumented residents in the United States, most of whom presumably drive without a license.
Countries with higher standards for licensing frequently see fewer accidents per capita. For example, Finland, Germany, Sweden, and Croatia have some of the most extensive requirements for obtaining a license. Most also tend to rank near the very top in terms of roadway safety.
But there are always exceptions to every rule. Unlike the other three, Croatian roads tend to see more accidents (per capita) than the average European nation — even if it still outperforms basically every country in the world that lacks formal training.
[Images: Dmytrenko Vlad/Shutterstock; Aleksandar Malivuk/Shutterstock; New Africa/Shutterstock]
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