berk4422

With a 15 YO about to get his license, I find myself saying very often "if you want to go fast, take it to the track". I read too many stories each week about teen drivers with poor judgement and excessive speed, going into trees. Growing up in NY, it was always cars hitting poles. In the south, it's cars hitting trees. It's truly sad to see young lives cut short.

Do you think if young drivers had more accessibility and experience on the track/strip, that possibly they would respect the posted limits on the street?

Gary '09 C6

the track, or a defensive driving school, is certainly the right place to start.

986_C6

No doubt a driving school will help them appreciate and RESPECT the 3000-4000 lbs bullet they are driving. There are constant car control clinics for teens in Cali. As soon as my children are old enough to go on the track, they are there (this coming from a track instructor).

ProfessorDeath

Just talked about this in another thread. Having been an adrenaline junkie in a sports car when I was younger (18 in a Z28)it won't really sink in until mid-late 20's unfortunately. I hope I'm wrong and just playing devil's advocate, but I know it took quite a while to learn my lesson. Fortunately I never wrecked, but some of the guys who were racing me lost it at high speeds.

Had a Viper, Mustang, 3000GT, Z28, and some others try to chase me through traffic and smash a wall or flip. When I was young I bragged about it. I'm nearly 33 now with a daughter and if I could take it all back i would. It doesn't matter what you tell kids, they don't get it until it's far too late.

Teaching something is better than hoping for the best, however.

tprice

NO, it will make them think they can really drive that fast

One of my two businesses is a teenage driving school, here in SC it is REQUIRED for all 15/16 yr olds.

The best thing they can get is EXPERIENCE BEHIND THE WHEEL in NORMAL EVERY DAY DRIVING.

Be sure and EXPLAIN to them why you do things, what to look for and rules of the road. You would be surprised at some of the simple question that very good teen drivers ask me(I have seen MANY of them want to make a LEFT turn with traffic coming in the other lane and think they hae the right of way)

The best way to do it is ONE ON ONE, not two parents or other kids in the car. Take the same approach you would if helping your child with math home work.

Most of all BE PATIENT, they are TEENAGERS and realize they are MUCH SMARTER than their parents No need in trying to change that idea, that will come when they get to be adults and not before then

The biggest problem I see with a lot of teen drivers is very little experience behind the wheel in traffic, parking lots are a waste of time other than to learn braking and acceleration other than that a waste of time they need to be in traffic

We get some kids from the rural schools and those are a walk in the park, heck most of them have been driving atv's, lawnmowers, golf carts, tractors and trucks around the farms since they could walk. Biggest difference between them and the kids from the 2 "city schools" is they are COMFORTABLE behind the wheel but even those kids are skeptical when I get them in heavy traffic sometimes


The race track experience is a fun thing when they get older but we all know, boys in particular, are going to see what a car will do. Stress SAFETY and SEAT BELTS AT ALL TIMES.

When we close our classroom portion of our class out(8 hours) we show them the Red Asphalt series of DE videos. It is pretty graphic and I can't tell you the number of kids/parents that tell me later that those videos really hit home with them . They realize these are REAL PEOPLE that have lost their lives not some Hollywood movie set where they all go home at the end of the day

I would suggest a teen driving course even if not required in your state, trust me when I say this it is very hard to work with your own teen driver. Trust me I tried it with my son, after being told by a couple of the other driving schools in our town they would drive Ross for me. After about 30 minutes I was ready to KILL HIM, took him back to my office and let my Dad(started our teen driving school back in the 70's and taught DE in public school until his retirement in mid 90's) finish his first 2 hour session. I then called one of the other schools and let them do is behind the wheel and then when our daughter came along she did ALL of her actual training with one of my other instructors.

Good luck and DO NOT Hesitate to ask me questions, I have SEEN IT ALL

dvilin

Kids are Kids, some learn from their parents and some learn the hard way.

TLS_Addict

I drive my car like I am 127 years old (32) and get better mpg's with my supercharged Corvette than most guys get with their stock ones.

Since I started going to the track on a regular basis I DONT have the urge to speed on the road. I know what my car can do, I know what it can beat, I know my ability (limit of it I should say) and knowing those things had made me not give a **** about other people who want to race me. Granted, I goose it once in a while but I dont drive like a jack ***.

I do believe that people having a place to get the speed out of something will curb them from doing it on the street.

Kvothe

Depends on the kid. Some will just think they have the skills to speed and do stupid things after getting training and for others it will be an eye opening experience.

truckplay

i am going through that right now. my daughter is going to Skip Barber this summer. although she is very responsible and i know she understands the responsability that is involved when you drive, NOTHING beats seat time and learning what she and a car can do.

plus i plan on raising the next Danica Patrick

michaelinmech

The BEST thing for new/young drivers - as much instruction and supervised seat time as possible . . .

The WORST thing for new/young drivers - peer influence from other young folks in the vehicle . . . .

Suicide for new/young drivers - booze or drugs in the mix

TLS_Addict

You want her to take up space on the track and wreck people and finish 2 races?

Thomasmoto

Yes ABSOLUTELY! Had my parents not been so against race tracks I wouldn't have street raced.

I also recommend driving schools as much as possible. That is always money well spent.

vig1116

I think for a younger driver, it will make them think they can drive better than anyone else and MAY do it more, but at least they will have a little more experience handling the car... Maybe like a double edged sword.... IDK Everyone is different though, some may be happy getting it out on the track, some may need more to get their fix in and take it to the roads.....

flange

a child wont believe you when stating the pan is hot. the child needs to touch the pan to find out. many young minds are going to play behind the wheel, and i was one of them. i wasnt allowed to go to the track, so i found other means and did lots of dumb things. hitting the track may have saved me a lot of aggrravation due to my stupidity.

Bearsden

Our oldest granddaughter is now 6th generation on my son-in-law's family farm and currently has her Maryland Learner's Permit. She took me for my first ride with her in one of her dad's pickups when she was 11.

Once she gets her Provisional license in August, I'm popping for the Accident Prevention course at the BSR training center located at Summit Point Motorsports Park.

USCGA13

Have them join the local fire Dept. The crashes I have seen from my friends and classmates have made me realize whats dangerous. Especially after seeing a kids car upside down, you realize it can happen to you.

redrckt97

100% right here

lil red vette

I would suggest you check out your local SCCA and do an autocross. That teaches car control in a safe environment.

P0234

Having a dragstrip with a test and tune night kept me out of a whole lot of one kind of trouble. Unfortunately my appetite for going fast meant I had a credit card problem for a while

Magister Ludi

I'm training my 16 year old right now. His time on the Kart track has really helped. He has learned some relatively painless lessons about the limits of his ability and it doesn't seem to be influencing his street driving in any adverse way. Mostly, I just wanted him to get the feel for what happens when a car gets out of shape and how to react. But it seems to be having some other benefits as well.

Just my experience...I know that each kid is unique.