Should All New Drivers Be Required To Have A Manual Transmission?

It's a nice idea, but it'll only stop them from texting while they drive for a couple days lol.

Maybe so, but it can be argued driving a manual forces you to pay more attention at all times.

people will still eat, drink, smoke, text, apply makeup, shave, etc., regardless of what transmission the car has. By forcing inexperienced drivers into manual transmissions you'll only exacerbate the problem and make it worse as they do all those same things while also having to juggle shifting. If you want to cut down on distracted driving, make the penalties harsher. If you want to improve teen driving, make it harder to get a license (like Europe).

What Nonsense.

Humans have a tendency to do the absolute minimum they can get away with and putting new drivers in a Manual Transmission vehicle will force them to increase that "Absolute Minimum" of attention they pay to the road and the act of driving.

Example.

In an Auto you could easily drive the entire distance of your journey using only one hand and one foot thus be lulled into a false sense of security about your ability to handle the vehicle should evasive maneuvers be required.

In a Manual you require at the minimum Both Feet, and most people { Not Me :) } would be unable to drive it without both hands. You are also constantly made to concentrate as any errors you make are not corrected by the Transmission {try not changing down in time while slowing and see what happens}.

Plus the single most important reason i advocate Manual over Auto for New or Elderly Drivers is that it seriously discourages you from using Cruise Control.

Plus I agree with you on Harsher Penalties and European Standards for Tests.

Better driver training and education are the key. Teens should be required to have more driver's training along with increased costs to secure a license in the first place. Raising the legal driving age would also help.

How does driver training prevent teens from txting? They KNOW full well txting is dangerous, but they think they'r invincible and it will never happen to them so they continue to txt. It has nothing to do with lack of education and everything to do with being a teenager - immaturity, bravado, lack of judgement, etc.

The best thing you can do for your teen is to get them a two seater (like a truck or Miata) so they don't have a bunch of friends distracting them and a manual transmission.

More driver training could help because if teens had a better appreciation for the dangers of texting while driving, i.e. driving simulation to demonstrate slowed reaction time and hidden dangers, they may think twice. They also need to see the damage caused by driving while texting first hand. Additional driver training is never a bad thing.

In reality, the biggest step to reduce teens texting while driving is to not see their parents or other adults texting while driving.

I honestly think that autoboxes should be banned entirely in new cars. It's pretty much impossible to text or talk on the phone while driving a stick, except maybe in a traffic jam where no serious, life-threatening accidents will occur. As well, people would pay more attention to the road after being forced to shift manually, making the average driver a better one. Banning automatics would save lives.

In UK and Europe, those who take the Driving Test in an Automatic Transmission Vehicle are not allowed to drive Manual Vehicles, their Driving License actually states that they are only allowed to drive Autos and their Insurance is higher than those with a Full License.

Those who take the test in a Manual are awarded a Full License { If they pass }

Been driving a manual since I was 8 years old. It's not difficult to text at all while driving a manual, especially when on the highway cause you don't change gears. Manual transmissions in a left hand drive car isn’t optimum for safety and handling, as you guys use your right hand to shift gears and your left hand (which is weaker in the majority of people) to steer. Down-gearing whilst entering a corner at high speed is statistically more dangerous in a left-hand drive vehicle. Even driving on a straight road performing an emergency manoeuvre with your left hand only is not as accurate as using your right hand only.

I think it might cause more accidents involving less experienced drivers.

But I'm left handed :) therefore that makes me a statistically better driver lol.

There are many other reasons why teens should have a manual transmission to drive as their first vehicle. It can get them out of trouble if the car battery runs low and the car won't turn on. It can save them (or parents) money in the long run because they can learn how to downshift when coming to a stop therefore saving on brakes. Most manual transmission vehicles also save on gas. They can learn how to ride motorcycles and many other vehicles easier than others that have always driven an auto trans.... Manual transmissions tend to break down less.