|
S.M.A.R.T. driving could save teens' lives
Date published: 5/27/2008
S.M.A.R.T. driving could save teens' lives
My child recently completed the Safety Maneuverability Awareness Responsibility Thinking (S.M.A.R.T.) Driving School.
What a fabulous opportunity for young teen drivers to actually experience defensive driving skills. It's a nonprofit school taught by certified law enforcement and Porsche Club instructors.
The class is held at the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy. It's a hands-on, in-your-vehicle experience.
These kids go through exercises to practice proper breaking, understeering and oversteering recovery, skid recovery, object avoidance, slalom driving to teach vehicle dynamics, and much more.
I hope parents of 16- and 17-year-old drivers seriously consider this class, because the skills these teens learn may one day save their lives.
Having defensive driving skills that simply prevent that $3,000 fender-bender seems to me justification enough to sign up.
The Free Lance-Star published a great article on Aug. 5, 2007, titled "State driver ed under scrutiny," which detailed some interesting facts and insights about this course. The article's lead line says it all: "[A teen driver] thought she knew how to drive."
Don't squander this fantastic resource available to our youngest drivers.
Janet Willard
Stafford
Date published: 5/27/2008
Most recent reader comments:
Thanks!
(posted by
Dana1
, May 27, 2008 6:59 am)
I will be sending my daughter as soon as she is old enough - the kids need to have their actual drivers license. I also read the article last year in the Freelancestar - I believe channel 4 also did a piece. Sounds great!
|
Star Directory
