By Zech Wheeler
news@joplinglobe.com
Learning to drive is tough enough. But throw a few inches of water or snow on the roads, and teen drivers have an even more daunting challenge ahead of them.
“It’s scary,” said Kelsa Ferguson, 17, of Neosho. “And uncomfortable.”
Anthony Chambers, 18, of Webb City, said that he was more worried about drivers around him than himself.
“I know what to do in case of an emergency,” Chambers said. “I know my limits. Of course, other drivers make me nervous, like the ones that are obviously too cocky.”
While most teen drivers are skittish about driving in rough weather or poor conditions, MoDOT and Crowder College are offering young drivers a chance to hone their skills on the road.
A skid pad, located on the campus of Crowder College in Neosho, will be open on alternating Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. March 20 through June 19.
Jared Starks, director of the Professional Driving Training program at Crowder, said that the purpose of the course is to give students a hands-on experience in handling “adverse weather conditions and rural driving.”
It is a hands-on course, with an instructor from the Professional Driving Training center riding with students in decommissioned police cars.
The course will teach students stopping and braking techniques (with and without anti-lock brakes), braking and steering to maintain control, off-road recovery, avoiding over-correction and how to drive in rain or snow.
Ferguson said lessons such as those, in a controlled environment, are helpful.
“I actually have taken a class like that before and it is very beneficial,” Wheeler said. “I took one in Kansas City, and if (Crowder’s) is anything like that, I think it does help teenagers be prepared for what is going to happen.”
In order to simulate those weather conditions, the course is flooded with a quarter-inch of water.
“Anyone can take the class,” said Tamara Black, Coordinator of the Blueprint Program for the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety. Though funding goes primarily towards younger students, specifically those from age 15 to 19 who have a permit.
Those beyond this age range are required to pay an $85 fee for the course.
Funding for the program comes from the MoDOT Blueprint Program and is based on a rubric score from students, including their age, gender, grade point average and how often they wear a seat belt.
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Scared to skid? Course lets teens practice slick driving
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