Budget Cuts Force Driver Education Classes To Use Less Crashworthy Vehicles

Two years ago, my son started driver’s education at our local high school. Curious about what cars they were using, I discovered it was a Chevy Aveo, which had some of the poorest crash test ratings, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. That got me to thinking, why would schools put the most inexperienced drivers in cars with poor crash test scores?

We took that idea to the Chicago Tribune, and reporter Duaa Eldeib filed Freedom of Information requests with more than 50 Chicagoland schools. What she found was scary:

 

Joe_Limon - 9/20/2011 1:29:28 PM

+1 Boost

I don't think you can label this as a budget cut issue, it appears as though price has always been more of a concern.

Agent009 - 9/20/2011 2:26:01 PM

+1 Boost

Around here at least budget cuts at the district level do affect putting off large purchases.

Joe_Limon - 9/20/2011 2:30:01 PM

+1 Boost

Wouldn't it be more of an issue if the schools were actually buying the safer more expensive vehicles during a time of budget cutting? What limited budget they would have available would be going towards trivial niceties.

olscuul - 9/20/2011 8:38:54 PM

+1 Boost

If you don't like the public school driving program, pay for private driving school.
The private driving schools probably buy their cars from the school system auction. ;)