[joep]

This is very sad indeed. When I was getting my license in the Mid-west we had to take a road test. I moved out here years ago and I guess they "trusted me" because my license just transfered. I've never taken a test since I was 16 yr. Isn't that the case here in NOVA?

[VaSteve]

Originally Posted by roundel

Having taught at Street Survival and years with various clubs, I am also struck by how anti-intuitive driving is when shit goes wrong. The natural tenancy is to look at what you are afraid of. In driving you need to look at your escape route. If the car not going to make a corner, the natural tendency is to turn the wheel more. Wrong!

I learned to drive like most people my age. Once I was proficient enough to operate the controls in the car and make it move forward, I got a license. I couldn't drive for shit and didn't even understand, really, how the car worked and how dangerous it really was. It is really just sheer luck I was never in a bad accident. I don't intend on letting my kids out there with the same lack of training.

I had two female students this weekend at Street Survival. One was in her mid-20s and one was 16. It was interesting the differences between the two in learning. The older one had totaled a car in the rain and was timid about wet conditions. The other had been driving "since June". I had the older one first and really had to dial back the concepts for the second one. I'm not sure she understood how little she knew. BUT, I saw great improvements from both and really saw the benefits. I hope the knowledge sticks with them.

We all had fun on the skid pad. I had to dial back the younger one since I was starting to get quesey. I think a couple new sets of tires are in order.

[BrianP]

It would save a lot of lives if people actually learned how to drive rather than learning how to pass a test.

volvo's dont seem to fair well with teen drivers in dmass.

[ovfd911]

This is a pretty cool program put online by Ford.
https://www.drivingskillsforlife.com/index.php

But, IMO, deaths seem to occur when someone gets too "comfortable" with their abilities...
and mixed with a friend or two who ask to them to "push the limit" just a bit... ahhh, the inevitable...
We've all been there and done it, lucky to live through it.

For me the question is: How do we "put the fear of death" in any driver who might want to exceed not just their abilities but the unknown situation ahead?

Trees don't jump out unless your in the Land of Oz..
and "that" road has been curved for years.
"Uhhh, why are you the only one who hit it?"

Oh, shucks... What I mean is, I'm going to teach my daughter that:
"If you do that you are going to DIE!!! Or someone else WILL!!!
And you'll go to JAIL!!!"

Sorry for the rant, but it's pretty personal with me.

[berettafan]

car full of teens is bad news for sure.

i don't know how i'm going to handle fears when my 4yr old turns driving age. Scary. sure he'll be doing AX's and HPDC's and anything else i can find for him but situational awareness is the key i think.

god bless the families involved.

[Clarke]

I personally think that programs like Street Survival should be mandatory before getting your license, then required again after a year behind the wheel. Teens will always push the limits. If they have been taught car control, maybe more could recover from exceeding their limits. I think that if most of us here were honest with ourselves, most of us did a lot of stupid sh*% in cars, there is no reason any of us should still be alive, but by the grace of God.

[HoodPin]

The latest article about this accident sheds more light on the story. Apparently, these teens were traveling together in several cars, heading to a local Burgar King for a snack after their weekly church youth group meeting at a leader's home. Turns out the group's leader was in the trailing car, and he was the one that initially responded after seeing the car go into the trees.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...102100482.html

Doesn't sound like dangerous driving was involved. However, does sound like probably driver distraction, with others in the car. I drove thru the stretch of road last nite, and no evidence of skid marks, etc. The road veers left, and it appears the car simply drove straight off into the trees.

I agree with everyone that teens need more & better driver training (and maybe some non-teens, too......). But this doesn't look like a case of overdriving. The driver probably turned around to speak to a friend at the wrong second. Driving a car is a serious responsibility. And concentration is a part of it. Reminds me of an incident in our prior neighborhood where a teen driving a mini-pickup with big tires, looked to change a CD, and veered onto an oncoming neighbor in a Honda Accord. The truck drove right up his hood and roof, and flipped over onto its side.

[rs911t]

A too often repeated sad story.

I was fortunate that my high school held driver's ed courses at a local facility used to train emergency workers. We had the benefit of "real" instructors, skid pad, etc BEFORE the traditional DE on public roads.

I went on to hone my skills with late night, high speed pursuits with my friends. Back then we called it "rat racing" ... in hindsight it was simple stupidity. Incredibly the only casualty was a cat I ran over one evening.

Training and experience are only 2 of the requirements. Unfortunately some teenagers will only get by on luck until they develop good judgement.

[HateDCRoads]

This is a very sad story. I know some of the youth group leaders through my own church involvement. These were basically good kids, who didn't drink and didn't get in trouble and sometimes accidents just happen.

This being said, the two children most severely injured were not wearing seatbelts - it is impossible to say if things would have turned out differently if they had been, but they probably would have. I for one always make sure that all of my passengers always have their belts on.

I also think that Volvos are actually not very safe cars the way most people drive them. While solidly built, the newer ones tend to be pretty well powered and my observation is that most drivers overestimate the safety benefit in their driving habits. If and when I have children, I think one of the best things you can do is get them a solid car with a small motor, like the old Volvo 240DL - it's just harder to get into trouble in an underpowered car.

A very sad day.

[Dan M2]

My dad put me in a volvo (1973) in high school. I tried to make that damn thing slide around corners and go fast with no luck. Sadly I did total it on the freeway going 45 right into a car that stopped for no real reason. I walked away without a scratch while not wearing my seatbelt (no laws back then). I didn't fare so well in the passenger side of a celica a year later, but still survived, again with no seatbelt and on the day the seatbelt law went into effect!

I agree that teenagers survive mostly on luck. I was a better than average driver and still did a lot of stupid things that would've made great headlines.

-Dan