Anyone have their kids to Skip Barber new driver school?
 

My 16 yo is going to get her license soon. I've been toying with the idea of having her do a program like this before I unleash her onto the unsuspecting world. It sounds like it would be a great program, especially for a girl (no offense intended). Anyone have their kids go through this program? Any comments or alternative suggestions?

This is the brief description from their website.

The NEW DRIVER PROGRAM is for drivers who have at least a permit and 20 hours of experience. It conveys the same vehicle dynamics message made clear in the Driving School but emphasizes greater "street awareness" and a thorough review of road etiquette. Important fundamental skills, including how to operate a manual transmission, parallel parking and reversing exercises are included in the curriculum. Driving the Mazda MX-5, the Mazda RX-8 and MAZDA3 sedan, students benefit from core Driving School exercises such as braking, emergency lane change and slide recovery on the skidpad.

I had my kids go through http://streetsurvival.org/, one day program put on by Tire rack and BMW Club. It primarily concentrates on car control and handling limits, classes are put on all around the country. I saw it as a great starting point, the kids LOVED it and I honestly think they learned quite a bit regarding what they could and could not expect from their vehicle, cost was $75.00

BMW CCA's Street Survival, sponsored by Tire Rack, is a primary focus of the BMW CCA Foundation.
http://www.bmwccafoundation.org/about/contact/. Instructors for the events come from the instructor cadre of the BMW CCA DE Program. Events are scheduled at various and locations throughout the U.S. There may be more expensive and extensive schools for teen-agers but none better.

My middle girl went through the Street Survival class. Seemed like a good idea, a week after getting her license she totaled her car, going 25 mph she somehow hit a rock in the road, which then put her into a fire hydrant and totaled her 944. :banghead: :rolleyes:

I like the Street Survival course recommendation, particularly since it is less than 1/10th of the cost of Skip Barber and if recommended by Rennlisters. Now the problem will be finding one in So. Cal. Thanks for the tip.

Yeah, I've been hearing a lot of those "totaled the car" stories. I think the main thing is for these kids to pay attention, which I'm not sure any class can help them with. At least these courses should teach them to understand basic car dynamics, defensive driving, and how to correct from mistakes.

There was one last Saturday (opposite the Cars & Coffee in Irvine that some of the guys here attended). The BMW instructor list guy made a state-wide (Country-wide?) appeal, as they were short on instructors. I've never instructed one, however so I can't speak to the program first-hand. I THINK there's one on tap up here at Candlestick this summer.

The website has a schedule and this is coming soon near you, Fo3....
10/20/12 Camarillo Airport Camarillo, CA

That date works fine... so long as my daughter doesn't do anything crazy with her car between now and then.

Wishing you the best! :eek:

I only wish my parents would send me to this driving school, that would be amazing.

The kids learn various aspects of car control, emergency lane-change, feeling ABS (what it will and won't do), skid pad, proper reaction for dropping a wheel of the shoulder and more. For "graduation" at the Street Survival Schools, the students usually get to take their parents for a ride. It's a real eye-opener!

IIRC, my daughter did the whole class in my Murano. Good class, wouldn't mind doing it myself.

Fo3,
Not quite "in your neighborhood", but....
Just sent out by zone 8 PCA:
Before we get into the upcoming calendar, I’m very excited to announce that Santa Barbara Region will be hosting a Tire Rack Street Survival School.* Teens and driving all too often are a tragic mix. This renowned program is designed to give brand new drivers the skills and judgment they need to survive.* The date of this event will be Saturday, October 20. Please see the Santa Barbara Region website for more information:* http://www.pcasb.org

+993 on the street survival school.
I am the chair for our region and will be running our first school this fall. One of the cool things about it is that the kids drive in their own cars.