We’ve reached the end of another school year and planning for next year is already in full swing! Our school activity seasons have changed, and families will soon be in their summer modes. One chore several teenagers tackle in the summer is driver’s education. After the successful completion of the required driver’s education course and accompanying practice driving, many students then apply for a school permit to drive to and from school.
Our high school administrators and I sign these during the summer months as students and their parents trickle in. Students that live at least one full mile away from the high school building qualify for a school permit. Originally, these permits were offered by the Department of Transportation for the purpose of assisting families in hardship situations, living several miles from school. Today, many students living much closer, but still at least a mile away, hold school permits. School officials and our local law enforcement officers become involved in enforcing the rules on school permits from time to time, but again, these come from the DOT.
I’ll be straight, these school permits really worry me! I hate to sign off on a student’s application for a school permit when most times I have no idea how careful or skilled they are behind the wheel. If a student would happen to have a bad accident with a vehicle, I would feel somewhat responsible for it.
There are teenagers that have a lot of experience running machinery, motorcycles, four-wheelers and other vehicles long before their formal driver’s education class. Others have never driven before their practice driving in driver’s ed. As we all realize, even the most experienced drivers can have an accident, but generally the more experience, the better.
Another concern of mine comes from young drivers driving all over the community and even to Des Moines with only a school permit. The permit allows for driving a direct path to and from school. It also forbids transporting other students. We invest a lot of time and energy at school in support of the development of character, leadership and integrity, but most of that instruction is often forgotten when it comes to honoring the law related to school permits. As youngsters do, they stretch or test the rules to find where the true boundary is. That’s when this becomes a challenge.
At times, students drive beyond their path to school without their parents knowing. In those cases, once reported, the parents often give their young drivers consequences by taking the permit away for a period of time. There are also cases where parents admit they have told their children that it’s OK to run to the grocery store, pick up friends and go to Dairy Queen, run their younger siblings to the swimming pool or drive to the county fair. In those cases, even if unintended, the message becomes “the rules don’t always apply to you or to us.” That tends to lead to bigger problems down the road.
While these infractions are difficult to police and enforce, proven infractions may lead to such consequences as a student being denied their first actual driver’s license until they are 18 years old. In the best interest of the safety of our rookie drivers and those with which they share the road, folks are encouraged to report 14- and 15-year-olds that are driving beyond their routes to school. We also remind parents to monitor their young driver’s routines, and to be strict about following the law related to school permits.
More information on school permits can be found at www.iowadot.gov. Please consider the responsibilities involved with allowing your 14- or 15-year-old to apply for a school permit. These permits can really help a family out, especially a family with active children, but the responsibilities are significant. By the way, there are students that hold school permits, drive safely, drive where they should by law and do their best to follow the rules. Those youngsters and their parents are much appreciated!
We’re in this together!