THE ISSUE:

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An important skill for teenage youth is safe driving and obtaining a driver’s license, but there is a large percentage of 15-year-olds in the Twin Cities without the means to enroll in a Minnesota drivers education program. Most of the driving schools hold class during late evening hours in the suburbs, which limits many inner-city teens without transportation from committing to 30 hours of classroom lessons. Even if this first portion of the licensing process is achieved and the teen passes the permit test, they are then required to complete 50 behind-the-wheel hours at home, in addition to the 6 hours with a certified driving instructor. 

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While the state licensing process is designed to develop safe drivers on the road, in some ways, it also contributes to the racial disparity in our cities. While the right of passage of getting a driver’s license is a given for many families, for others, often in lower income communities, the process can seem unattainable. $400 may be difficult to reach, or it will keep utilities on for the month, so it may not seem like much to some, but to others, $400 can mean survival. And if the family doesn’t own a car, then why bother. 

 

But many of these teens will probably still drive. They will likely purchase a car, too. But they won’t have a license and they won’t have insurance. They have to work and get around so they take the risk, and a great risk it is because this situation typically leads to loss or destruction of cars and other property, tickets and fines that compile and twist into never being fully resolved, still without a driver’s license. Still needing to work, get groceries, get to school and work on being an adult in situations already full of extra hurdles to overcome.

 

This is a socioeconomic disparity.

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OUR STRATEGY TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE:  Provide drivers training at low or no cost at locations that are easy for students to attend. Add an environmental component to the course that informs them about how driving increases their carbon footprint and helps to develop transportation and other living habits that reduce negative effects on the environment. In exchange for the drivers training, the student is expected to participate in community involvement activities that will not only improve and strengthen relationships within local neighborhoods and natural areas, but will also facilitate and instill the value of reciprocating goodness and gifts by giving goodness to others. Students will learn to identify ways they can help improve their own surroundings, thus building stronger communities.