Smyrna times., 1950-01-12

have Joined in a common program
designed to promote driver educa-
ton in the high schools as a means
of curbing 'teen-age recklessness
on the highways and generally i'm
proving driving habits among the
nations future motorists. the As
sociation of Casualty and Surety
Companies announced recently in
New York.
Governor Elbert N. Carvel per-
sonally authorized DelaHare's par
ticipation and has appointed
George w. Ayars, driver education
director of the Department of Pub
lie Instruction, as state coordinator
of the program. In that capacity,
Mr.. Ayars will promote driver ed
ucation in high schools throughout
the state as an effective and perm
anent means of increasing public
safety on the streets and highways.
Newspapers and magazine edi-
tors, state officials and educators
throughout the nation, not to men,
tion worried parents, have becoiEe
alarmed and aroused about the
recklessness of exuberant youths
behind the wheel of the automo-
bile said Julien H. Harvey, wide
ly known safety specialist and
manager of the Associations acci-
dent prevention d partm ent
There is a simple and positive
cure, however, for the 'teen-age
problem on our streets and high
ways 1t is sound education in how
to drive, given at the proper time.
The proper time, of course, is just
before the legal driving age; and
that means in the high school
classroom.
'Driver education is good from
every point of view. The students
love it; teachers have told me That
the one class the kids almost new
er cut is the driver training class.
And anyone who reads the glowing
testimonials of kids who have COM
pleted the course will know that
they really take an interest The
value of these courses has been
established by long experience.
Statistics indisputably show that
young drivers who have had such
training are involved in 60 per
cent fewer fatal accidents than
those who have not. So driver ed
ucation is also good for the young
drivers and everyone else from the
standpoint Of safety. Finally, the
cost of teaching a complete and
effective course is very low One
might almost ask, therefore, what
are VIE waiting for"
The High School Driver Educa-
ton Award Program, as the plan
is officially designated, was started
three years ago by the Association
of Casualty and Surety Companies
solely to recognize achievements
and further stimulate interest in
the training of high school youths
to become trained drivers just be-
fore they reach the legal driving
age Thirty-eight states participat-
ed the first year, 43 the second, and
this school year every state is par
ticipating 1t also has been desig-
mated by the Presidents Highway
Safety Conference as the official
medium for determining the aetiv-
ity Of each state in this field.
States that meet fixed high
standards of achievement in driv-
er education are awarded a bronze
plaque each year by the Associa-
tion The awards, which are de-
termined entirely by an impartial
board Of judges consisting Of ma
tionally prominent educators safe
ty specialists and state officials,
are made on the following basis:
Meritorious Awards. Granted to
states having a full course of driv-
er education in 25 per cent of their
secondary schools and having en-
rolled therein not less than % per
cent OF their eligible students. Sup
erior Awards: Granted to states
having a full course of driver edu-
cation in so per cent of their sec
ondary schools and having enroll
ed therein not less than so per cent
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