To reduce auto collisions, should 'driver's ed' be mandatory? This police officer says yes

As both a police officer and driving instructor, Jeremy Kulwartian has an extremely critical eye on the way people drive.

"I tell my students not to drive like a zombie. You don’t just drive through the green light. You’re always scanning the intersection," Kulwartian explained. "I just find when I’m driving around, I see someone and I think, 'They didn’t scan.' But there’s no ticket for that. There's no charge for that."

It's that critical eye, combined with Windsor ranking in a recent survey as the eighth-most dangerous city in Ontario to drive — which has led Kulwartian to suggest what some may consider to be a controversial idea for improving road safety.

"I believe everyone should have to take an approved driver's ed course," he said. "Right now, you can go get your G or G2 license without having to do anything."

"If you pass that eight or 10-minute road test, congratulations, that's it. You don't know anything about stunt driving, careless and dangerous driving or impaired driving."

Students who spoke with CTV News share mixed opinions on the idea of drivers’ education classes being required to obtain a license.

First-year college student Edward Cruz said he feels strongly that "driver's ed" should be mandatory.

"It provides an experience to young drivers who have never experienced driving before or to people who are new to the country to experience how it's like to drive in Canada," said Cruz.

He added more people taking driver's education classes would lead to more discipline between people sharing the road.

"So new drivers can feel safer on the road," he added.

According to fellow student Nimco Ali, some students might learn safe driving habits better from family or friends, rather than a classroom teacher they have never met

"Driver's ed should be an option but it shouldn't be mandatory because not everybody wants to do it," said Ali, adding she has not taken driver's education classes. "My dad taught me. He helped me become a better driver."

A third student who spoke with CTV News, Fadel Bassam, said he completed a driver's education course for the sole purpose of decreasing his insurance premiums.

He agrees that "driver's ed" should not be mandatory.

"Anything to make getting my G2 cheaper, I just took that option," Bassam said. "I hated it. It wasn't the best. It was really boring and I feel like it was a waste of time. A lot of it was common sense and I honestly think I could've learned a lot of it by myself."

As for Kulwartian, who owns First Route Driving School in Windsor, he said the most common infractions he observes by other drivers while patrolling the roads as an officer are speeding, distracted driving and tailgating.

All of those things, he said, and much more are addressed in driver's education classes.

"Your dad might be a great driver and they'll teach you how to drive, but the full safety comes from going to a certified driving school that can teach you the rules and laws," he said.

CTV News asked the Ministry of Transportation to comment on the idea of mandating driver's education classes.

While they did not address the question directly, a ministry spokesperson said the province is working hard to ensure Ontario continues to have "some of the safest roads in North America."

"We are always reviewing best practices and monitoring programs in collaboration with industry stakeholders to make improvements as needed," the statement read.