ORLANDO, Fla. — Officials said there has been a sharp increase in the number of teenagers involved in crashes since many school districts across the state cut driver's education from high schools more than five years ago.
Saving money may have ended up costing lives.
Driver's education videos are now shown at Orange County high schools.
In the past, gym teachers taught students how to navigate through cones in high school parking lots.
There has been a nine percent increase in teenager-related crashes every year for the last four years.
Last year, there were more than 2,800 teenager-involved crashes.
"If you have even a three percent increase in crime, everybody's screaming and shouting. A nine-percent increase is unheard of," said Despina Blocker of Teens Drive Alert.
Safety advocates, sheriff's departments and insurance companies are trying to fill the void.
State Farm Insurance, for example, has spent $1 million in Florida on teen driver safety campaigns, and
$250,000 of that has been spent in Orange County.
"The more chances a student has to get behind the wheel, the more chances the student has to learn about driving safely, especially that very first year," said Michal Brower of State Farm.
Teen drivers can still opt to take private driving lessons, but that can cost as much as $700.
There's been no study in the county on the impact of removing hands on driver's education and the link to crashes.
"Driver's ed, if it's a class, it's every day for an hour of your day. That hole has been created where there's not a set aside time for this issue and it does affect all of us," said Blocker.
Safety advocates said the advent of texting and lack of driver's ed is only making the numbers increase.
The Florida Sheriff's Association offers a free, one-day defensive driving course.
It is held in different counties throughout the year, but has never been held in Orange County.
WFTV
