Why Every Teen Should Be Required To Take Physics Before Driving

As an atmospheric scientist, I encounter many aspects of physics within my discipline. The ideal gas law, momentum, vorticity, and forces are common topics within any meteorology curriculum. However, two recent developments have placed physics in a different light with me - a conversation with my wife Ayana and my 16-year old son getting his driver’s license this week. Here’s why I argue that every teenager should be required to take physics before legally being able to drive.

While driving back from lunch one day, my wife and I noticed a single car accident on the roadway. Though speculative, it appeared to be related to high speeds on a curved road. My son passed his road test earlier in the week and received his driving permit or license. During a previous lesson with him, I told him “not to let physics win” while he is driving on curves. That statement was made while explaining why it is important to slow down approaching curves. Let’s dig a bit deeper.

Winding Pass Road to Grossglockner, Austrian Alps, County of Carinthia. (Photo by ... [+]GETTY IMAGES

Centripetal force is a staple of any physics class. The DriversEd.com website says, “If an object is moving along a curved path, the direction of its velocity is changing. The force responsible for this change in direction is called centripetal force which means center-seeking force. It is directed toward the center of the curvature.” In the aforementioned conversation with my son, I also mentioned centrifugal force. The website goes on to say, “....If a car is traveling with too much speed from the other direction—in the "outside" lane of a curve—centrifugal force will pull it out to the right and off the roadway.” My son is a sophomore in high school taking accelerated courses but would not take physics for another year or two. I asked if he was familiar with either of these terms. He said, “”I’ve heard of them, but we haven’t had that in class yet.” He is currently enrolled in a chemistry class.

I also mentioned momentum. He knew the term, but did not know the details of it nor how it might apply to his driving and impromptu physics lessons. Most physics textbooks likely describe momentum as the quantification of the force or associated strength of a body in motion. The mathematical representation is mass times velocity. I went on to explain that as he drives his car (of a certain mass), his momentum will depend upon his velocity. As such, it is important to start breaking at a responsible distance when cars are stopped in front of him. While teaching my daughter to drive, I would often tell the kids to drive “scientifically.” Perhaps, my son is starting to resonate with the statement.

During that same lesson, I mentioned hydroplaning to my son. Cars often hydroplane (slide or skid) when roadways are wet. Physics is at play. According to the Safemotorist.com website, “Water pressure in the front of the wheel pushes water under the tire, and the tire is then separated from the road surface by a thin film of water and loses traction.” There are many other manifestations of physics that a young driver should understand:

1. Friction: Brakes work, car tires cling to roadways.
2. Inertia: An object in motion wants to stay in motion, while an object at rest wants to remain at rest.
3. Gravity: Affects speed and breaking on hills or inclined surfaces.

While chatting about some of these concepts with my wife, she posed the question, “Why isn’t physics required before kids take their driving test?” She has a good point. According to Time4Learning.com, most high school students take physics in the 11th grade. Some will even wait until 12th grade. Like my son, many students live in states in which they can acquire a learner’s or regular driver’s permit at age 15 or 16, respectively. These ages come before junior year.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, risk of a vehicle crash is highest among the age group 16–19, particularly boys and newly licensed drivers. While many factors are at play, a working knowledge of physics before driving certainly could not hurt anything. Right?

Eleven teens stand "dead silent" outside the Ohio Statehouse to represent the 11 teens that die each ... [+]COPYRIGHT 2010 AP. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.

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