July 27, 2006
Driver's Edge Team Creates Program Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts
Enthusiasm Breeds Successful, Quality Program
As I've described in a related VehicleVoice news story, I had the recent opportunity to see a Driver's Edge teen driving education program in action. I attended with my nieces, Angel and Megan, and my sister-in-law Jane.
Watching from the sidelines as I was, neither parent nor student, a common element was easy to spot in the entire Driver's Edge team. They all are dedicated and passionate about this program. The team is full of people leading rewarding careers doing what they love, and it shows in their overall approach and their optimism. This quality is just one of the reasons for the success of the overall program.
From support staff to leaders to in-car instructors, the team had the ability to connect with the students, to get them laughing while conveying serious information, and to keep them engaged through a four-hour program. Their heartfelt enthusiasm was catching, and the high quality of instruction reflected their dedication and interest. After each presentation, instructors were available for questions from students or parents, as were in-car instructors once they were out of the car.
Jeff Payne is likable, enthusiastic, and straightforward. He developed the program, from workbooks to courses, to bringing in the right in-car instructors. Bios of the instructors can be found at the Driver's Edge web site, and it is an impressive list of accomplished drivers and instructors. Jeff's professional racing experience includes European and Japanese circuits. Off the track, he's shared his passion for driving by operating an exclusive driving school, teaching celebrities and developing programs for national organizations and corporations.
Steven Tepper is Jeff's business partner and runs the business side of day-to-day operations. His presence at the Detroit event was an indication of his dedication to the program. I also had the opportunity to speak with him for a few minutes, and his enthusiasm is clear. If you've got a minute to check out his bio on the Driver's Edge site, you'll see that this accomplished and successful businessman could be anywhere. Lucky for any teen attending the program, he's chosen Driver's Edge.
Another key member of the team is Tracy Noble. She does an excellent job keeping things moving along, and dealing with registering and organizing communication with the attendees before, during, and after the event. Tracy has been involved with Driver's Edge since its beginning.
While impressed by all, three instructors in particular caught my attention. Mike Moser is a Lead Facilitator and conducts the Vehicle Walk-Around and Car Care module, Scott Harrington was the instructor giving the pitch at the Skidpad Module during our session, and Byron Payne (no relation to Jeff) was one of the in-car instructors at our skidpad session.
Mike kept everyone laughing through a half-hour or forty-five-minute discussion of car-care basics and the proper seating position, and in a way that the kids remembered. Serious and funny all at the same time, he made he points and kept everyone laughing. One of the first stories Megan told her parents when we got together after class was one of Mike's.
Scott's presentation was more sobering as he discussed teens and driver distraction and some disastrous results, but delivered in terms kids could relate to, and he kept their attention even while their classmates were driving on the skidpad in front of them.
Byron adjusted the amount of time and challenge for each student in his car, ensuring students get the instruction most suited to their skill level. Knowing Angel and Megan as well as I do, it was easy for me too see this in action. Angel had been in a single-car accident weeks before and was increasingly nervous and scared as she watched car after car slide and spin around the skidpad. Megan is a little older and hasn't had an accident; she was more confident and comfortable.
This instructor took extra time teaching Angel what she needed to know, with a longer discussion between course runs, and had her drive the course a few extra times, until he felt she was learning and getting the hang of it. On the other hand, Byron was able to push Megan harder and make it challenge appropriate to her skill and confidence level as much as he did for Angel. Megan did fantastic spins, with at least one about 300 degrees, but learned from those as much as Angel did from her less aggressive runs. Angel earned a Most Improved trophy from Byron as she learned to overcome her fear and develop her skill. Each instructor awards a trophy to one of their students from each session, so this hands-on, special-attention approach is encouranged in all Driver's Edge instructors.
Top to bottom, this group of people were ready and eager to help students and parents, whether answering simple questions or just giving autographs. And as they took time to speak with parents and students one-on-one, I also saw them genuinely interested in feedback from attendees as well. My sister-in-law even made sure she got autographs of the drivers the girls were paired with, which they were happy to do.
No-Cost Program Survives Through Donations
The program is supported by charitable donations, grants, and corporate sponsorships, with instruction provided at no cost to teens or their parents. National events are scheduled in more than fifteen cities this year, plus more events nearer to their home base at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and in Reno. By taking cost out of the equation, they can reach more teens and the message that cost should not restrict teens from access to instruction is reinforced.
Bridgestone has been a key supporter and crucial to the national program since 2003. Among other supporters are private donations, Red Bull, Firestone Complete Auto Care's Care's Car Care Academy, Carmax, the Nevada Department of Public Safety, and Indy Racing League. Driver's Edge does thank their sponsors in class and online, but promotion is not a condition of support. I find that refreshing in a world where the biggest sponsors at many charity events can be identified by the size of their signage.
Posted by Stephanie Brinley at 01:44 PM | Comments ( 0 )
Driver's Edge: Teen Driving School Goes Beyond the Basics
There is a fair amount of bemoaning the high fatality and accident rates among teen drivers, but precious little done to make a difference. In 2002, Driver's Edge, based in Las Vegas, started to do something about this and has made empowering teen drivers their job. The local program has grown since then, and with help from sponsors has gone national. The 2006 Driver's Edge schedule included a two-day stop in Michigan, and as I have two nieces with new driver's licenses, I got them signed up. As a regular contributor to VehicleVoice, I'm glad use the space to share our experience and help spread the word on this fantastic program.
I first heard about Driver's Edge in 2005, when I attended a Bridgestone tire event for AutoPacific. I was beside myself with excitement when I heard Driver's Edge was returning to our area this summer and there was the opportunity to get my nieces Angel and Megan into the class. My sister-in-law Jane and I took them to the program and we made a family day of it.
The Mission
The mission of Driver's Edge is simple: To save lives. Their method is "make highways safer through comprehensive hands-on youth driver education." They teach teen drivers how to recognize their own driving limits and abilities as well as those of the automobiles. The program open to teen drivers age 16 to 21 with a valid driver's permit or license, and teens are welcome to repeat the course if they have the opportunity.
Jeff Payne, the group's founder, starts with the assumption that teens are not incapable. The do lack experience, an issue best addressed through education. This education is not being provided in basic driver's education courses, where the goal is simply to give people enough information to pass mediocre state driving tests. Driver's Edge enhances a basic course with gritty stuff about car control, vehicle dynamics, proper driving position, a bit on car care, and specific examples of how deadly a distraction at the wrong time can be. Driver's Edge helps its students learn what a car can do, what it can't do, and the knowledge and confidence to handle unexpected situations. Driver's Edge's motto sums up the approach: Know Yourself. Know Your Limits.
Jeff is a former professional race-car driver who clearly loves sharing his skill and love of driving and racing. He has taken his experience on tracks and roads in the United States, Europe, and Japan and his experience running his own exclusive driving school and created every element of this program for developing better teen drivers, from the courses to the tests to the take-home booklets.
The Session
The four-hour session includes a pre-test and a post-test and four distinct instruction modules; Driver's Edge also follows up at twelve and eighteen months after the class with a survey to find out if the students have improved and if the program was successful in making a difference for them.
Parents are strongly encouraged to attend with their kids, and many were there at our session. Both students and parents get take-home guides to teen driving, with specific advice for each. These impressive booklets cover basic and advanced information new drivers need to learn, and some that parents need to be reminded about. After class, students get certificates of completion and various donated goodies. Megan and Angel went home with Firestone car-care kits and a Driver's Edge hat and t-shirt. Also at the end of the session, each in-car instructor picks a most-improved student of the day and the student with the highest score on the pre-test are awarded with trophies and a prize. In our case, two students had the same top score; each won four tickets to the Firestone Indy 400 at Michigan International Speedway on July 30, courtesy of Indy Racing League. (IRL is among the Driver's Edge partner and corporate sponsor family.)
While students are getting checked in and completing the pre-test, a series of 911 calls and footage of a terrible, fatal teen accident a few years ago in Las Vegas is shown. There are comments from the survivors, the parents, and the emergency responders. This was the type of tragic accident Driver's Edge empowers teens to avoid. The driver simply was distracted, made an error, and did not have the skill to correct it.
I watched the crowd as the 911 tapes began. Parents and students don't focus in at first, and slowly start to realize just what they are hearing and seeing. The tent grows more and more quiet. And Driver's Edge has your attention.
Jeff kicks off the session and tells everyone why he's there and what he hopes to accomplish, as well as introducing the day's instructors. His belief in the need for better driver's training and dedication to this program comes through loud and clear. He connects with the kids and parents and has solid, no-nonsense advice for both. He goes through ideas like understeer and oversteer, load transfer, skid control ("when in doubt, both feet out" and "in a spin, both feet in").
The students are split into four groups to be rotated through the four modules. Two are static, including Mike Moser's Vehicle Car Care and Seating Position lesson and, in our case, a session with a Michigan State Trooper. Mike's module incorporates elements of Firestone Compelete Auto Care's "Car Care Academy," another Driver's Edge partner. The two dynamic modules include a braking and avoidance/lane change course and a skidpad course. (VehicleVoice contributors attended an unrelated Bridgestone Drive and Learn program, geared toward adults in April. Download our podcast to get an idea of what skidpad courses can look like in action.)
At each of the driving exercises, two or three students are assigned to a driving instructor and car. The instructor takes students through the course, demonstrating and explaining the car's behavior and methods for controlling it. Then each student takes a few runs to experience and learn in a safe and controlled environment. Angel and Megan found the ride-along portion more intimidating than having to do it themselves, as the instructors intentionally take the cars nearer the vehicle limits. As Megan said, when she drove she found it just wasn't as hard as it looked.
Mike Moser was definitely one of the highlights, as he took the relatively dry subjects of where to fill windshield washer fluid, proper driving positions, seatbelt use, and the correct position for your sideview mirrors and made it entertaining. We hit this module last, and Mike was able to hold much of the student's attention in spite of it having been by then a relatively long, information- and excitement-filled day.
The State Trooper talked about Michigan laws, what to do if you are pulled over, various defensive driving techniques, and had the students and some parents experience the vision-impairing goggles, which simulate a blood-alcohol level of .10, higher than most states' legal limit. He answered questions from the crowd, ranging from changes in our construction zone speed limits of late to whether there is a law against driving barefoot. (It's not illegal, but not a smart, either.)
All in all, there aren't many things I'd rather have done with that Saturday afternoon. Megan and Angel would recommend the program and would love to do it again. And next year, if Driver's Edge comes to Detroit, you just may see me there among the volunteers for the day. I appreciate the opportunity was available to my nieces, but both before I saw it first hand especially after, I believe this is a program that makes a difference.
Posted by Stephanie Brinley at 01:15 PM | Comments ( 0 )
April 17, 2006
Best Cars for Teens Awards
Executives from cars.com and DriversEd.com recently named the top new vehicles for teens based on safety, price, size and 'fun factor.'
VehicleVoice Counterpoint
The vehicles selected used input from Power's Mechanical Reliability Ratings and Consumer Reports Reliability Histories. They also used crash test scores and IIHS ratings.
In the flurry of COTY awards, the Best Cars for Teens seems soft and not particularly well thought out. It appears like a no teen was asked for their opinions and only government- and industry-available information was used. Based on AutoPacific and VehicleVoice research Teens (or lets broaden that to GenY buyers) most likely would buy a used car (because they can afford it) or larger vehicles (because they aspire to them).
Study this list and you conclude that a Teen only wants a small, fuel effiicient, inexpensive cars and trucks. Au contraire, they want vehicles where they can carry their friends and their stuff plus go places their lifestyles demand. A Mazda3, no matter how nice a little car it is, won't do all a Teen requires of it.
The top teen car recommendations from cars.com and DriversEd.com include:
Mazda3- "sporty and affordable"
Honda Civic - having "it all"
Scion tC - "feels rich for the price"
Mini Cooper, - "stops, goes, corners like a BMW"
Subaru Impreza -"good all around performer"
Mazda MX-5 - "affordable convertible"
Volvo S40 - "Volvo safety at an affordable price"
Hyundai Tucson, described as "a lot for the money"
Toyota RAV4 - "larger and stronger than before"
Subaru Forester - "surprisingly roomy inside"
Nissan Frontier, crew cab - "perfect truck option for teens"
Toyota Tacoma, double cab - "Toyota quality in a tough truck"
What They Say About the Best Cars for Teens Awards...
"We kept in mind that many parents are more concerned about safety, while their child is looking for style," explained Joe Wiesenfelder, senior editor of cars.com. "This list offers new car choices in various body styles and a wide range of prices likely to meet the needs of parents and teens."
Gary Tsifrin, founder of DriversEd.com, which is a drivers education resource, added, "It's essential for teens to be involved in the car-buying decision, so that they both understand the responsibility of the driving privilege and feel comfortable behind-the-wheel of their car."
Safety a Factor
Executives said the safety of these vehicles was highly weighed, although neither cars.com or DriversEd.com can designate a vehicle as safe or unsafe. Executives said they interpreted crash-test ratings and completed an audit of safety features. The crash-test scores came from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
As SUVs have a rollover risk, executives explained that the most important features in these models were electronic stability systems and side-curtain-type airbags. When looking at the smaller vehicles, executives said side-impact airbags and curtains were highly weighted, as they can prove to be the difference between a Poor and Good IIHS rating for each model. Company officials also pointed out that no vehicle with a weak crash-rating was eligible for the list.
Cost/Reliability Important
Another factor contributing to the list was cost/reliability, as executives said low ownership cost can easily compensate for a higher sale price. Repairs were also a significant component in the total ownership cost and executives said they utilized J.D. Power and Associates' Mechanical Reliability Ratings and Consumer Reports' Reliability Histories to review the vehicles. Other factors in the cost of ownerships included fuel economy, required fuel grade and insurance costs, as many teens will be covering these costs on their own, executives concluded.
Posted by George Peterson at 08:56 AM | Comments ( 0 )
February 03, 2006
The Perfect Gen Y Car
The horrific parade of cars “designed to meet the youthful needs of Generation Y” seems to have taken its proper course. I pray the trend is dead. (No, Dan, as VehicleVoice correspondent and AutoPacific president George Peterson found at a recent Dodge Caliber press event, cars targeted at GenY are alive and well. At least Dodge admitted they would not be embarrassed when the Caliber sells to older folks.)
I remember watching Trevor Creed, head of Chrysler Group design, unveil the Dodge Razor designed for “millenials” at the 2002 Detroit Auto Show. The typical Chrysler todo included boom boxes and kids on Razors, those small-wheeled scooters that pre-adolescents use for terrorizing shopping mall parking lots. “What are they thinking?” was my first thought. “Did Trevor get into a terrible Razor accident?”
While I liked the vehicle, it was clearly one that had no relation to GenY whatsoever. How many youngsters have you seen driving 2 seat open top roadsters recently? More important, how many youngsters have you seen driving any new vehicle recently? Not many. The concept was perfect for a mid-life crisis, not an entry level Dodge. Fortunately for Dodge, this “GenY” car was halted at the concept stage. Others have not been so fortunate. While the PT Cruiser and Honda Element have been quite successful, the fact that they both missed their target demographic is a bit embarrassing for the product planners.
Recently we’ve seen a lot of attention being paid to B Class vehicles, such as the MINI. Many more vehicles will enter into this segment, pushed by manufacturers’ worries about fuel prices. There may be considerable upside to this segment, but let’s not get confused. These vehicles are not the answer to courting Generation Y either.
Generation Y cars have been around for years. It doesn’t take a string theorist to figure out that younger car buyers would rather have a nice used car than a stripped down econo-drum. In this age group, a new car just isn’t in the picture. The perfect Gen Y car is a used car with a warranty and roadside assistance.
Maybe, just maybe, developing a relationship with GenY buyers is the marketing department’s job. Rather than wasting millions on developing a GenY car, why not focus on a great CPO program? The progression into a brand can successfully start with a great used vehicle, and it might be best for product planners to leave this job to marketing.
Posted by Dan Hall at 10:04 AM | Comments ( 2 )
December 09, 2005
Buying Your Teen a Car
First of all, nobody should have a vehicle purchased for him or her. Cars are a responsibility, both financially and from a safety standpoint. So when my wife asked me what kind of car we were going to buy my daughter Danielle for her 16th birthday I was not exactly enthusiastic. “Shouldn’t she save her babysitting cash and get a car when she goes to college?” I thought. By then she might have a better handle on both financial responsibility and safety. Besides, the cash she gets for watching some of my neighbor’s offspring is amazing.
My first car was a 1968 Ford LTD, which lasted less then 4 months before I had to shoot it and collect $100 from the junkyard. It was several years before I had a vehicle that I was proud of, so the idea of a teenager getting a car for her 16th birthday seemed like something from a script of “The OC”.
Transporting Children is a High Mileage Proposition
But then a few obvious facts started to sink in. First and foremost, my wife and I together put about 50,000 miles per year on our vehicles. Much of this mileage is logged as hostages to our children. Football, baseball, basketball, cross-country, church events, school events. While the events are great, the driving isn’t. Having a third cabbie would certainly help.
Mom's SUV Has Turned into the "Dumpster"
Second, I like a clean car. I do not like the idea of food sliding across the dash when cornering. In fact, I think the entire car is a bad place to store food, regardless of how well the AC works. I wasn’t sure if my daughter shared this preference. So far she had seemed to go along with her brothers in their preference for storing all things in their mother’s SUV. The idea of sharing my car was a bit frightening.
Would Rather Have MY Child Driving than Riding With Friends Who May Not Be Good Drivers
Finally, I had met some of my daughter’s friends and thought about them driving her around. I think the last point convinced me. For the most part, Danielle is a good driver. Carolyn and I spent a lot of time with her, and she’s not the kind of person that is late and trying to make up for it. Some of her friends have trouble focusing on anything without an LCD screen. Done deal. We buy a car.
Selection Reasons: Good Safety, NOT Enough Room for Lots of Friends, Dependable, Slow, Cute
The vehicle requirements came down to the following partially logical list: First and foremost safety. That meant my 1967 Beetle was not going to be in the rotation…whew! Second, not enough room for many passengers. This arose out of the fact that most teen accidents are caused by in-vehicle distractions (i.e. friends). Third, dependable. I was not interested in receiving cell phone calls from Danielle with car issues. Fourth, slow, for obvious reasons. And finally, cute. This was a requirement from my wife, but I have to admit that there is a certain amount of fatherly pride that goes along with your daughter’s wheels in LA.
As Often Happens, Dealer Turns Daydream into a Dread
I won’t bore you with the purchase process other than to assure you that it was miserable, as expected, with all the games in the little glass puppy love room at the dealership. If dealers knew how to make buying a car as much fun as daydreaming about a car, they would be a lot richer.
And the Winner Is... Volkswagen New Beetle
So what did the lucky girl get? A 2002 New Beetle with 33,000 miles. I know, I know, not exactly the benchmark of dependability, but I decided the warranty and roadside assistance would be enough to let “cute” win the day. Besides, 33,000 miles is almost new.
As expected, it’s slower that a turtle in snow. The back seat will hopefully be small enough to convince her friends to ride with someone else. Its safety ratings have been great, and the car’s got excellent visibility.
I’ve driven it a few times (after moving the silk flowers to the door pocket). It’s comfortable and easy to drive. The 4 speed automatic transmission helps keep the 2.0-liter 115 hp engine at bay. You get passed by kids on bikes….perfect!
As for Danielle, she’s ecstatic! She went wild when she found the keys in a gift box at her 16th birthday. She screamed and ran out of the restaurant looking for the car like she was chasing Ricky Martin.
Best of all, last night she picked up her little brother from rehearsal. We’ll see how long that behavior lasts.
Posted by Dan Hall at 03:09 PM | Comments ( 2 )
December 06, 2005
Learning to Drive a Car – Not So Easy Anymore
Teaching my daughter to drive seems much more scary than it was to learn to drive myself. Everything is so different now than in “my day” (how old does that make me sound).
High School Drivers Ed is History... at Least in Orange County
Just a little background: I learned to drive in high school PE class and can still vividly remember behind the wheel with Mr. Lane. This was in Illinois and now we live in California so they may still teach drivers education in Illinois high school PE classes. In Orange, California they no longer offer drivers education in high school (too costly and high liability). Now it is the parent’s responsibility and financial obligation to provide drivers classes if you want your child to drive before they are 18 years old.
This is where it starts to get even scarier. You can sign up for the classroom portion at driver’s education school or take the course online. At a school the course is supposed to take 30 hours. We opted to do an online course because of the flexibility in taking portions of the program whenever she had free time (cost $99). She completed the 25-30 hour program in less than 15 hours. I was a little apprehensive that she would pass the DMV test, but she passed on the first try, only missing 2 questions. My daughter now has her driver’s permit.
She must have her permit for 6 months before she can take her driver’s license exam. When I am driving she now critiques my driving; going to fast, not coming to a complete stop, etc. Now I have to be on my best driving behavior at all times. This is tough.
Professional Instruction Costly, but Necessary
On to behind the wheel. California law requires 6 hours of in-car instruction by a professional drivers education teacher (cost $250). I feel that is very few hours so I upgraded to the 10-hour package (cost $300). Now it is the parent’s responsibility to make sure their child has a total of 50 hours driving experience, 10 of those hours at night.
Surprising How Oblivious to Driving Daughter Has Been for 16 Years - Can't Find Home From School
It amazes me that after 15 years of driving her everywhere she does not seem to know where anything is when she is behind the wheel. One day I picked her up from school and let her drive home. On a street we have driven on a hundred times she is going 35 mph. I tell her to slow down and she informs me that the speed is 35 mph. I said I knew that but there is a stop sign 25 feet ahead. She told me she did not see it.
Business Opportunity for Enterprise, Hertz, Avis - Drivers Ed Equipped Cars
My blood pressure must be off the charts when I am in the passenger seat. What I would not give for Budget or Hertz to come out with a “driver’s ed” style car – equipped with a steering wheel and brake pedal on the passenger side. They would have a waiting list for renters each weekend.
Posted by Mary Beth Martin at 02:13 PM | Comments ( 0 )
December 01, 2005
Entering the Soccer-Family Stage
Lifestage Has Lots to Do With Vehicle Selection
When my wife and I had our first child we owned a Jeep Wrangler - this was the family vehicle. Yes, a Wrangler was the largest vehicle in our household. The lasted as the family vehicle for about a month. I'm actually surprised it lasted that long. Turns out it could not carry a baby stroller and a passenger at the same time. The Wrangler was a great vehicle and I hope to own another some day, but next time as a third vehicle, a toy, not as primary, daily transportation. We traded the Wrangler for a slightly larger Jeep Cherokee, which was good for a family of three. We were happy with our first Jeep, and a Minivan was totally out of the question. We were not going to take that step yet, or ever. My wife was about as anti-Minivan as one can get. It just wasn't going to happen.
Anti-Minivan Sentiment Changes as Family Grows
Up until about a year ago my wife was still very anti-Minivan, pro-SUV. The soccer mom image, the unsportiness, and the snickers from SUV moms all added up to a big negative. It didn't matter that a Minivan is very practical for families with small kids, or that it's big enough for all the kid stuff, or that the kids could be seperated for long trips. The kids were ready for a Minivan, they were ready for more space for themselves and for having friends along for the ride. But we loved our Jeep as inadequate as it had become. Terrible gas mileage and all, it did everything we asked of it and it didn't have the soccer mom stigma.
After several years of seeing the Cherokee get smaller as the kids grew, we finally took the plunge to a Minivan a few weeks ago. Yes, it was a long time coming, but it happened. Now, this was not a huge plunge - we bought used instead of new. But in any case, a purchase that was not on the radar screen a year ago.
My wife and I slowly became Minivan believers after repeatedly seeing how much kid stuff space we could have, how practical automatic sliding doors can be, and the difference the 3rd row makes. Now, my wife has her own row, my daughter has the middle row, and my son loves the 3rd row. The practicality of the van when you have small kids was too much for us to overlook any longer.
Now Even Looking Forward to 400-Mile Trip with the Kids
Yes, we still love the Jeep and it is still in the household, but we are also learning to embrace the Minivan stage. Getting used to the Minivan stage has been difficult at times - during the first week of Minivan-ownership my wife wanted her beloved Jeep back. After two weeks, she's not kicking and screaming as much anymore. I guess it was inevitable since we started soccer this year. We're actually looking forward to embarking on our annual 400-mile Christmas trek this year - we shouldn't have any problem filling the extra space with stuff.
Posted by at 12:45 PM | Comments ( 0 )
