The following article is by my daughter Caroline, enjoy:
Some of you may remember Andy Barbee’s article a couple months ago on this website (
GoFastNews.com Scion tC Autocrosser). He wrote about his first autocross experience in his daughter’s Scion tC. Well, I happen to be that daughter, but I don’t drive the tC anymore. Unfortunately, I totaled it in a wreck involving two other cars, a tree, and a ditch…and of course the citation and fault were both mine.
Coincidentally, the night prior to my accident, I made the decision to do my Senior Exit Project (public school’s most glorious form of torture) on inexperienced teenage drivers. Not only does this project involve a colossal research paper, but it also includes a “product and fieldwork portion.” Initially I was planning on doing my project on autocross, and its benefits on driving and it potentially being a safe alternative (instead of street racing) for teens. But after my crash, I realized that I was an incredibly inexperienced driver, especially when it came to defensive driving. So I decided to choose a project that would benefit me.
I hypothesized that the local DMV classes, consisting of two weeks in a classroom and a grand total of nine hours behind the wheel, just weren’t enough to teach kids how to drive without killing themselves and their parents’ insurance rates. So with a little research, planning and monetary support from my parents, I attended both the Two Day Teen Advanced Driving School at Skip Barber at Road Atlanta and the Safe Driving Program at Richard Petty at Lowes Motor Speedway. Going into the process, I was really dreading taking the classes; I thought they would be just like the DMV. Thankfully, I was wrong! Between the two programs, I don’t think I’ve ever had more fun driving. Both of the classes had incredible, fun-loving instructors (which is extremely important for teens like me, because boring teachers equal nap time) who seemed truly dedicated to the program.
The schools had some common activities and teaching methods. For instance, both had emergency lane change/accident avoidance exercises, braking exercises (video -
http://www.gofastnews.com/board/vbtu...=tube&tubeid=3), and used a skid pad to teach students how to correct under and oversteer (video -
http://www.gofastnews.com/board/vbtu...=tube&tubeid=1), (video 2 -
http://www.gofastnews.com/board/vbtu...=tube&tubeid=2). In addition, both programs had my favorite exercise, an autocross track with part of it on a skid pad, and we tried to drive it as fast as we could, successfully. Not only was it fun, but it was like a grand finale that incorporated every driving skill I had learned during the program.
Though some parts of the schools overlapped, both the Skip Barber and the Richard Petty programs were unique in their methods. For instance, the majority of Skip Barber’s cars were manuals. While those of us who could already drive a stick worked on car control and “looking up” on an autocross track, those who were novices were patiently taught how to drive a car with that kind of transmission. In addition, at Skip Barber they taught students about “360° Awareness.” This concept addressed how to position the rearview and side mirrors so that blind spots are eliminated and you can see everything around you.
At Richard Petty, I found it very interesting that, for the emergency lane change and braking exercise, students were supposed to use our own cars. That way, we could learn how to control the brakes of our own personal car and learn that particular car’s limits. In addition, at the Safe Driving Program, they talked to us about what to do in the event of a car accident, which is important for teens to know. The instructors also taught us how to change a tire and basic car maintenance. Another thing that was incredibly fun was when they gave us goggles that simulated how drinking impairs your vision. First, with the goggles on, they had us try to get into the car as “soberly” as possible (which was hilarious), and then they actually had us drive with them on! It really was a challenge, and each of us failed miserably. However, it was a really big eye opener about just how dangerous it is to drink and drive.
Overall, I really am glad that I chose to do my Senior Project on Inexperienced Drivers. I had fun, I learned a lot, and most importantly, I really matured as a driver. I only wish that I had taken these two amazing teen defensive driving programs before my accident. I could have avoided it, and I would still have a car! Also, I want to thank my mentor, Carl Kircher, head of the Safe Driving Program at Richard Petty, for helping me with my project and my research paper. Without his help, I couldn’t have completed this enormous project.
For more information about either of the programs, please follow the links below:
Richard Petty Safe Driver Program
Richard Petty Driving Experience - Group Opportunities
Skip Barber New Driver Program
Skip Barber Racing School LLC