Though today’s cars are infinitely safer, even the most advanced safety technology can’t always protect against carelessness behind the wheel — especially when it comes to teen drivers. Mainly as a result of inexperience, driver error, and other dangerous behaviors like texting while driving, car crashes are the number one cause of death in the 15- 20-year-old age group, and teens are four times more likely to be involved in a crash than older, more experienced drivers.
It’s sobering statistics like these that led to the creation of the Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy. “We could build the safest cars in the world, but if we turn the keys over to someone who hasn’t been properly trained, all bets are off,” said Carolyn Duchene, the academy’s director.
When it comes time for the big driver’s license test, the California Department of Motor Vehicle reports many teens fail because of inexperience. In California, teens as young as 15 years old are eligible to test for a learner’s permit. After that, a six-month wait is required before they’re allowed to take the driver’s license test. During that time, teens must complete a minimum of six hours of behind-the-wheel training with a professional and 50 hours of adult-supervised driving. Things are different once an individual turns 18. Driver’s education is no longer required before taking a driver’s license test. Interestingly, the U.S. is the only country that allows this.
The academy is a state-certified teen driver education and training center in Los Angeles, and, although locations in Europe exist, the automaker claims it’s the first of its kind in the U.S. The Integrated Program, ideal for students starting driver’s education from scratch, costs $1390. This includes 30 hours of interactive online courses, workshops, and classroom sessions, plus 16 hours of behind-the-wheel time, more than double California’s requirements.
During the 16 hours of behind-the-wheel training, professionals coach students instead of simply giving commands. For a first-hand look at how exactly the coaching approach works, I dropped by the academy for a one-on-one session with driving coach Marc Hemsworth.
The 2012 Mercedes-Benz C350 sedan I drove with Hemsworth was far different from the old Honda Civic sans power steering I used as my student driver car. Once out on the road, Hemsworth didn’t give me any turn-by-turn directions. As drivers, we’re forced to make choices every day, and if a teen goes through behind-the-wheel sessions always being told where and where to turn, Hemsworth says they won’t be prepared to make decisions for themselves when they’re alone on the road. Every so often, Hemsworth asked me why I made certain decisions, and had me pull over to talk about good (or bad) driving habits he noticed. The Mercedes academy lets teens take control without getting out of control.
Parental involvement is also emphasized. Parents can communicate with coaches and can easily observe their teen’s progress with a student logbook. Coaches can pick up the teens from school for their lesson and have them drive home after their lesson to save the parents time.
Still think $1390 is too much? “Parents invest heavily in their child’s education, so why not invest in making them a better and safer driver?” says Duchene. That’s a good point — one that every parent should consider before handing over the keys.
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