Many professions currently use simulators to deliver training in an attempt
to improve safety and improve performance.
In order to become a pilot,
one must log a pre-determined number of flight simulation hours before they are
allowed to actually fly a plane. Astronauts also benefit from simulator
training. It would not be very cost effective or responsible to put an astronaut
onto a rocket ship and say;
"Don't worry; you'll get the hang of
it!"
The purpose of simulation training is to put the trainee in
situations that are as realistic as possible in order to provide them with
experience, risk free. If a trainee makes a mistake in a simulator, there is no
chance of a loss of life, or damage to property.
The obvious setback to
this form of training is the fact that the cost to purchase a machine for any
industry presents a significant investment.
According to uberreview.com,
a simulator used to train potential oil tanker ship captains costs approximately
$245,000. If you are in the market for a product that will teach you to drive
race cars autel md802, than your
finances will feel it at a cost of about $200,000. What about the simulators
they use at NASA? Priced out of this world autel
ds708, literally.
So, we have simulators for aspiring pilots, oil
tanker captains and race car drivers. However, in order to obtain a license (in
most States), you have to pass a 50 - 100 question multiple choice test. After
passing this test, you can take your Road Test on a sunny Tuesday afternoon and
voila! You are now a licensed driver.
The United States sees
approximately 40,000 fatalities a year due to motor vehicles. This number is a
part of the nearly 3 million injuries caused by motor vehicles every year. Of
these 3 million injuries it is a certainty that a large number of these injuries
could have been prevented if young drivers had had access to simulator training
in the first place.
The injuries are a cost burden for society in terms
of medicare costs, productivity loss, and potential legal costs.
The
driving education industry has not matured to the point where it is worthwhile
for an individual company to purchase a simulator. They would put themselves out
of business. Additionally, this type of training is not mandatory anywhere. This
means that if a driving school did purchase a simulator, there is no motivation
for the driver trainee to pay the extra fees to use the simulator.
When
the government discusses stimulus spending, why not include the purchase of say
10 simulators for a large municipality or district? This would not be a cost,
but rather an investment if it could lower the possibility of young people
getting into accidents on the road.
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