Speed cuts reaction time in collisions

You'd be surprised at how often people end up driving the wrong way on New Mexico roads, and while it might seem like it, they're not always drunk, said Sgt.

[Dog lover]

Thank you Sue for some informative and constructie reporting. I hope everyone reads this! This just makes me want to sign up for a class - it's been too many years since I took a DD class - let's all learn from this situation so we can save future lives!

[JD_Morrison]

Excellent information! This is the type of education ALL teen drivers should get (not to mention some of our adults as well...).

[Pojoaque]

Dividers would be nice but we have so many other pork projects...

[psalm116]

We've only lived here 3 years and I've dreaded the day when our teen became of age to drive, and now it's here.

We come from the Midwest where learning to drive is taught in high school in a one semester required class. When I found that was not available in Santa Fe and he would have to only take a class through MVD, I've been praying for my son's safety ever since, even though he hasn't taken it yet.

In my opinion children here are allowed to start driving too young, and, are not allowed enough time to learn, and seriously learn.

I often wonder if the state is more interested in getting the money for the driving course, or the actual teaching of the child?

[Ex-Armored Car Driver]

"SIPDE, which stands for Scan, Identify, Predict, Decide and Execute".

Amen

[Aubrey Moss]

With all due respect for the driving instructor his advice is good but not an absolute. I was almost in an accident where going left was the only way I was going to avoid being hit. To have an article that is basically second guessing a person's split second decision in an accident that killed four young teens, two of them friends of mine, is just cruel. Again I think the advice is good, but to have a quote saying that going left is the absolute worst thing a person can do is wrong and is an insult to family members who are grieving. We weren't there on Old Las Vegas, I'm not going to second guess Avree's decision to go left, and neither should anyone one else.

[Really]

psalm116 wrote:

We've only lived here 3 years and I've dreaded the day when our teen became of age to drive, and now it's here.
We come from the Midwest where learning to drive is taught in high school in a one semester required class. When I found that was not available in Santa Fe and he would have to only take a class through MVD, I've been praying for my son's safety ever since, even though he hasn't taken it yet.
In my opinion children here are allowed to start driving too young, and, are not allowed enough time to learn, and seriously learn.
I often wonder if the state is more interested in getting the money for the driving course, or the actual teaching of the child?

I had no idea - no driver's ed? no driver's training?

Geez, that was standard in most places 40 years ago. I would have thought that the programs would have become more extensive by now, not eliminated.

[Close enough]

I wish this article could launch an ongoing series in The New Mexican. I'm convinced that a lot of the unsafe driving situations I see every day result from cluelessness. An article like this may set off a little spark of awareness in the mind of some driver -- and it might indirectly prevent an accident down the line. It would also be a way to inform drivers who have moved to the area from out of state, where regulations may be different. What do you say, New Mexican? Can we look forward to more?

[psalm116]

Really wrote:

<quoted text>
I had no idea - no driver's ed? no driver's training?
Geez, that was standard in most places 40 years ago. I would have thought that the programs would have become more extensive by now, not eliminated.

That's what I've been told. Would like to see some of that stimulus money the state has gotten go into REQUIRED driving programs in the schools, public and private.

[psalm116]

Close enough wrote:

I wish this article could launch an ongoing series in The New Mexican. I'm convinced that a lot of the unsafe driving situations I see every day result from cluelessness. It would also be a way to inform drivers who have moved to the area from out of state, where regulations may be different.

I agree!

[Steve]

psalm116 wrote:

We've only lived here 3 years and I've dreaded the day when our teen became of age to drive, and now it's here.
We come from the Midwest where learning to drive is taught in high school in a one semester required class. When I found that was not available in Santa Fe and he would have to only take a class through MVD, I've been praying for my son's safety ever since, even though he hasn't taken it yet.
In my opinion children here are allowed to start driving too young, and, are not allowed enough time to learn, and seriously learn.
I often wonder if the state is more interested in getting the money for the driving course, or the actual teaching of the child?

Driver's Education class is offered as an elective course at Santa Fe High School and Capital High School. As for serious learning after completing a Driver's education a combination of driving school training along with your own supervision of your student's driving would be wise. Also consider your own driving when in the presence of your teen- do you routinely cruise beyond the speed limit, use your cell phone, put on eye make-up, chain roll left through red lights after yellow, pause and go at stop signs- I am not saying that you do any of this- but children learn bad driving habits from some adults at an early age. If you are truly concerned about your teen make sure that what you would criticize in your teen's driving does not apply to you as well.

[phaedrus]

Really wrote:

<quoted text>
I had no idea - no driver's ed? no driver's training?
Geez, that was standard in most places 40 years ago. I would have thought that the programs would have become more extensive by now, not eliminated.

Driver's Education classes are offered as an elective course at Santa Fe and Capital High Schools. Charter High Schools or Private High Schools may not.

If one is concerned about moving their brilliant teen for a semester from private school to Santa Fe High School, for example,to take Driver's Education; both schools offer excellent Advanced Placement classes with AP certified teachers. The AP Biology teacher at Santa Fe High School teaches his class with the rigor of class that could be taken at the University of California. The world sends some of its best young minds to California Universities.

[Pat Getz]

Unfortunately I have turned into the wrong lane on St Frances going north as I was coming from Guadalupe and taking a friend to his apartment up off Calle Mejia behind the Santa Fe Spa. No, I had not been drinking! There was no sign and it was very dark. I had no idea I was in the wrong lane for about 150 yards! I now avoid that turn even during daylight as it is marked so poorly.

There are also places along the Old Las Vegas Highway and even I-25 where this error could occur as well. I have (non-drinking) friends who tell me they have turned into the wrong lane in various areas because they couldn't see as well! We need better design of entrance/exits, better signage and LIGHTS!

[Khal Spencer]

I was able to take a half semester driver education class in high school. That course taught most of what is discussed here and gave us a lot of time behind the wheel. Nowadays, such a time commitment would be considered extravagant in this age of cheapness and No Child Left Behind, which is a Federal boondoggle.

[PC Chavez]

Khal, driver's ed should be mandatory.

[chatterbox87501]

That drivers ed class at SFHS is classroom only.

My wife had her car totaled at that intersection, she was very lucky, she was on blood thinners at the time, she wasn't injured.

My Dad taught drivers ed for over 30 years, explains the lack of hair.

As a basketball coach, he stressed defense, same for his drivers ed class.

[State Worker Bee]

PC Chavez wrote:

Khal, driver's ed should be mandatory.

Years ago (lots of them), driver's ed was mandatory for a semester in sophmore year of high school. It was classroom instruction with written tests, driving with the teacher, and (pretty primitive) simulators. But it worked. You could drive with a learner's permit at 15.75 years old for 3 months, then at 16 or so get a regular license providing you passed all the classroom work. Let's bring back mandatory driver's ed.

[TruettCollins]

Also realize that many of the driving problems in NM are not native NM's...many of the problems come from people from all over the nation (if not the world) transplaning here and driving like they did back home. People from Alabama drive different from people from NY, who drive different from people in FL who drive different than people from CA, and on and on....put them all together and you have a system of driving that is bound to fail.

[Oh pleeze]

TruettCollins wrote:

Also realize that many of the driving problems in NM are not native NM's...many of the problems come from people from all over the nation (if not the world) transplaning here and driving like they did back home. People from Alabama drive different from people from NY, who drive different from people in FL who drive different than people from CA, and on and on....put them all together and you have a system of driving that is bound to fail.

Hang it up already and go to bed. G'nite.

[TruettCollins]

Oh pleeze wrote:

<quoted text>Hang it up already and go to bed. G'nite.

So you want to ignore truth.....typical of somone who does not even post under their name.......