Driver's Ed Videos: How Necessary are They?

[ashfire]

It tells us that we have to watch what we do and what the public will do while responding to calls.
A movie we got to watch was one call "Sirencide" That is when you let your self get over convident behind the wheel using your lights and sirens and not watching your speed or what is happening around you.

[K. Ayato]

What does that have to do with Driver's Ed videos?

[ashfire]

For us it's driver's training and videos and don't make the same mistakes others made.

[Ally-Ann]

@ashfire: That's all fine and dandy, but as I've already explained (And everyone became quite annoyed with me)I, personally, already understood the dangers of reckless driving, DUI, or driving exhausted. Ever since I was little, my parents have drilled into my thoughts that taking risks while driving will, sooner or later, kill either you, someone else, or both. You don't know me on a personal level, but I can assure you that I'm the type of person who doesn't need to see footage of real car accidents in order understand the dangers of risky driving. And yes, I whole-heartedly agree that there are many teenagers who don't learn the consequences of risky driving unless they see gruesome videos about the fact, and that there are still many who son't care about the video and will go and drive recklessly anyway. I'm sorry you saw all that, but the fact that it happens doesn't mean that I, personally, or every teenager needs to see it. Other things that some people consider educational may not be necessary for others, or even suitable... in my under-developed opinion.

But considering that everyone who has posted in this thread-- including myself, obviously-- already knew the consequences of risky driving, why stray from the original question at hand and drift into something that I already knew, especially since I explained in moderate (*Cough*overwhelming*cough*) detail that I saw a gruesome video about it? It's a bit redundant/Stating the obvious... (Sorry if I sound like a snob, I just don't want to drift into unnecessary waters.)

[K. Ayato]

If I may add, Ally-Ann, some topics are of the nature that a lot of us don't grasp the seriousness just by hearing it told by someone with more experience on the subject. You can tell a young person (not necessarily a teen) "Don't do this" and so on in regards to personal safety or with minor drivers, safe driving, but a lot of them will just brush it off and think "Yeah, but that will never happen to me".

I understand you might not be of that group, and that's okay. But for a lot of us, we gotta see the gruesome consequences of what can (and sadly often does) happen when one chooses to disregard certain rules. Then you have something to use as an example. "Do you want to end up like (insert news item)?" and it's no longer something vague.

[Nate]

Honestly I don't know that watching gory driver's ed videos really makes people think about their actions while driving nor does it reduce the accident rate.

I mean it doesn't really work in sex ed class when they show nasty looking dongs and hoo-hahs that are infected by STDs to try and scare kids out of having sex.

[Yamamaya]

Different things work for different people. Not everyone learns the same.

Also I think the condescending attitude many people have when it comes to teaching teens I don't really think helps. There seems to be this assumption, "You are a stupid hormonal teen who can probably barely comprehend this so I am going to scare you to death in hopes than you will comply."

[armeck]

Different things work for different people. Not everyone learns the same.

Also I think the condescending attitude many people have when it comes to teaching teens I don't really think helps. There seems to be this assumption, "You are a stupid hormonal teen who can probably barely comprehend this so I am going to scare you to death in hopes than you will comply."

THIS! this. so much this

[ashfire]

Well maybe not wanting to see these type of videos will work on some teenagers.
My brother and myself joined a volunteer fire and rescue dept in our teens. My brother was 16 and I was 18. Consider where we have had to be up close and personal with people in accidents. The sights,the sounds, the smells, holding people in your hands while you treat them. Then there are those you can't do anything for or tried to do before the life just went out of them. Then what if you get there and its someone you know.
I have heard teenage drivers have had to go on field trips to a trauma center and meet other teens that had been taken there to save their lives while they lay in their hospital bed days after surgery.
I would say that for many is a wake up call for safe driving.
Maybe the one problem is peer pressure from those when you get in a car with others and its fun and exciting and then you forget all about safe driving.
There are so many things that will make you forget and its every day.

[Nate]

Seeing it happen in real life (especially to a friend or family member) I can imagine would be a lot more effective than a video. As Homer said when he watched footage of real car crash victims, "It's funny 'cuz I don't know him."

[Yuki-Anne]

Yes, real life. Because holding a bloody dying child in your hands should be a part of every driver's ed experience.

[Nate]

I'm obviously not saying that children should be purposely exposed to real-life car accidents. I'm responding to ashfire's post where he talked about his brother's and his experience with these types of injuries and teens who had been exposed. I was saying that yeah, having it happen in real life really can get through to some kids who otherwise wouldn't pay attention to a video.

I just was saying that it being personal would be a wake-up call, but that seeing the exact same injuries or wrecks and having it be a total stranger instead of a family member or friend would likely not be as effective. Therefore you can't really say that because someone close to a teen was injured and they became safer, that this proves that a video is an effective method of creating safer drivers.

[Yuki-Anne]

Pardon, I wasn't meaning to deride your post.

Honestly, while real life is the most effective wake-up call, I think foolish people are going to do foolish things regardless of whether they saw a gory video in high school or not. So in essence I'm saying I agree with you.

But that being said, the system they use is the system they use. It is, as someone else said, designed for the lowest common denominator. Ally-Ann, I know you feel traumatized by it, but you'll get over it, like everyone else has. Aside from writing a letter of protest to your school (which I trust you've done, because if all you've done is make a thread on an anime forum... well, that seems rather pointless), there's not much you can do. Best to let it go and stop being so outraged over it. Lord knows there's enough in this world to be outraged over without adding Driver's Ed videos to the list. They've been showing these videos for decades, I doubt your "under-developed opinion" is going to change anything.

[mechana2015]

Our high school used to stage an accident in the parking lot, using a car that had been in an accident, based on a drunk driving accident each year, and use well known students as the bodies, with LOTS of (fake) blood. this included parents reading obituaries, the FD and Police cooperating with the school to handle the 'casualties' and announcements of the status of various peoples health throughout the day.

[Vilo159]

Our school did that too, called it "Every 15 Minutes". They also periodically pulled pre-chosen people out of classes, put up fake graves on their desks, read fake obituaries, etc. They also did the fake crash, with popular ASB victims. They also made a mini movie of it, done by our tech department, that was actually pretty emotional. They go really all-out on it each year.