Teen Driving Challenge

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office is issuing a challenge to local teen drivers: give us two days and well give you the skills to survive behind the wheel.

The facts about teen drivers are sobering. Automobile crashes are the leading cause of death and injury to teens in the United States and Florida. Between 25-30% of teen drivers will be involved in a crash within the first 12 months of getting their operators license.

The Sheriffs Office offers a program called the Teen Driving Challenge in a sincere effort to change those statistics. It’s a free 12-hour course taught over two days that trains teens how to prevent crashes through defensive driving techniques and evasive maneuvers. The course goes well beyond the basics of automobile operations, teaching young drivers life-saving skills such as the proper way to safely maneuver corners, brake during emergencies and recover from a skid.

“This is the absolute best driving program I’ve ever seen,” said Sheriff Ben Johnson. “This isn’t just designed to teach teens to get their driver’s license. This course is designed to save their lives once they get their driver’s license and get behind the wheel.”

The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office offers the Teen Driving Challenge in conjunction with the Florida Sheriffs Association. The program is a mixture of classroom instruction and hands-on driver training using the same driving track in DeLand deputies use in their training. If we save one kid, it means a lot, added Sheriff Johnson. We can actually put them in a car and let them skid. They can actually get out there and find out what a vehicle can and can’t do.

There is no charge for the course and the student must have their regular Class E driver’s license. Participants must provide their own car. For more information and an enrollment packet, call the Sheriff’s Office Training Section program coordinator, Kathy Daniels, at (386) 239-6522 or visit:
http://www.volusia.org/sheriff/TeenDriving/default.htm

The course is a two-day event with the classroom portion held on a Thursday evening 6-10 p.m. at the Sheriffs Office Training Center, 3901 Tiger Bay Road, Daytona Beach, FL, 32124. The driving portion of the class is held on the following Saturday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. at the Sheriffs Office Driving Track, 2564 W. State Road 44, DeLand, FL, 32720. Lunch will be provided on Saturday. The student must attend both days to receive a certificate. Many major insurance companies accept the certificate for a 10% discount on the teen's insurance premium. Class size is limited to 15 teens and seats are available on a first come first served basis.

Scheduled dates for 2010 are:

• Jan. 21 and 23
• March 18 and 20
• May 13 and 15
• July 15 and 17
• Sept. 16 and 18
• Nov. 18 and 20