Driver’s Education ’98 is a must if you have, or are, a teen nearing the age to drive. It’s also great for adults who want to brush up on the rules of the road. Even would be a good investment for those who actually teach a driving course. It is an educational video game that basically puts you into a Driver’s Education course, but with a wonderful difference—a virtual, not real, car.
The game covers motor vehicle laws and rules of the road in all 50 states and Washington, D.
C. The program focuses on safe and defensive driving techniques. But you will learn more than just the basics. There are special lessons in areas such as parallel parking and alcohol awareness. You will learn the laws of driving, what all road signs mean, and safety precautions.
And the lessons (there are over 30) are done in real-time. The “student” will listen to a driving instructor giving them tips. After each lesson, you go behind the wheel—a virtual wheel. Ed, your driving teacher, will give you a 3-D lesson along with some encouragement as you drive around the virtual city, so you can get a feel for what it’s like driving in a real car.
After you get the general facts about driving a vehicle, you get
your driver’s permit so you can drive throughout the city. And just as in real life, you will encounter tricky and dangerous driving situations like heavy traffic, freeways, bad weather, and reckless drivers. While you drive, you will be scored on how well you do. You lose points for breaking the rules along with not taking the correct safety precautions. You can also lose points for speeding, not using your turn signal, and not wearing your seatbelt.
The virtual car has automatic transmission, and has rear view and side view mirrors along with other features a real car has. But unlike a real car, you can switch camera angles, as is the case with many racing games.
Of course no game can replace real life experience, but Driver’s Education ’98 can give a beginning driver a lot of information to head them in the right direction when they actually get behind the wheel of a real car. This game provides them with a safe environment without any risk of an accident while they are just learning.
With today’s kids, they need something interesting and fun to grab their attention. I know I would have loved to have this tool when I was learning to drive. This is a must-download for driving school instructors and parents of teens who are about to hit the road—and hopefully nothing else.
