Lexington, KY - Drivers' education has not been taught in any Fayette County Public School for the last 35 years and every year there are hundreds of wrecks that involve teenagers in Lexington.
Fayette County Attorney Larry Roberts knows there is a correlation between those two facts, so he is making a major effort to turn teenagers into better drivers. One strategy is his office's Driver Education Program for students with learners' permits who have had at least 20 hours of driving experience.
The Driver Education Program teaches young drivers--by direct experience-- how to avoid accidents and drive safely. The instructors are retired police officers.
Classes total 22.5 hours. They are held in five sessions of 4.5 hours each and the total cost is $200. Many insurance companies will offer a discount to drivers who have completed the program, which could add up to more than its cost.
Instructor Billy Fryer said that the students "learn what danger looks like, where to look for it, what to do about it when found, how to stay out of a skid, and how to get out of it." He added, "Students will average over 100 skids a week [practice driving in the cars equipped with Skid Monsters]."
Until recently the program used a five acre asphalt driving pad to practice. Instructors had to share the driving pad with people who were learning how to drive garbage trucks and other large vehicles. They had to schedule driving sessions around the schedules of the truck drivers.
With limited time and no lights available for night time instruction, the Student Driving Program reached far fewer students. There is still a waiting list of students who want this specialized training to help them be better drivers.
But thanks to the generosity of a group of local contractors, the program has its own three acre driving pad. Contractors who donated materials or labor to the project include Vulcan Materials, ATS Construction, Nally & Gibson, Tutt, Woodall Construction, Haynes Trucking, Harrod Concrete & Stone, and Greg Baker.
These contractors leveled and graded a windswept plot of land on a ridge overlooking Old Frankfort Pike. Then they paved it over with asphalt. The area is atop the old landfill which was sealed some years ago to prevent contamination from the site and to allow it to be used for other purposes.
Mayor Jim Gray termed the driving pad "an example of [how, in] times in adversity we can be creative and imaginative and figure out ways to do good projects without a big cost to our citizens."
Gray continued, "When we think about the cost of traffic accidents, not just in human toll, but in actual financial costs they are enormous."
Roberts would like for the school system to resume teaching drivers' education, perhaps with a pilot project at one local high school. "In Richmond, VA, they have a driving pad at each high school, " he said wistfully.
Meanwhile his office has the opportunity now to graduate 250 young drivers each year from this unique program. Roberts said the program is better than what most private driving schools offer.
The Fayette County Attorney's Office has planned a special event for young drivers. This event will also showcase the Drivers Education Program and its new driving pad.
Teens and their families are invited to attend "Celebrate My Drive." It will be held Saturday, September 15, 2012, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 1745 Old Frankfort Pike, right off of the exit ramp of New Circle Road.
"Celebrate My Drive" is a national event sponsored by State Farm Insurance. The company is also a major corporate sponsor of the Fayette County Attorney's Student Driving Program. The office of Fayette County Attorney will co-host the event.
Families with teenagers are the focus of this special day. The emphasis is on the importance of safe driving, presented in several ways throughout the day.
On the brand new driving pad the Driver Education Program instructors will demonstrate Toyotas equipped with Skid Monsters that can throw the cars into instant spins. The motorcycle unit from the LFUCG Police Department's motorcycle unit will drive its 1,000 pound cycles in high speed and close quarters maneuvers.
NASCAR fans should tag along with the teen drivers in their families because Hall of Fame Driver Bobby Allison will make a special appearance. He will bring one of his race cars, too.
Allison will talk to the young drivers about speed and how it is a negative factor in street driving. He will stress accident awareness as well as safety precautions they should practice whenever they drive
Allison has agreed to sign autographs. A professional photographer will take free photos of audience members with him.
Teenagers will have a chance to drive one of the Driver Education Program's two $13,000 auto simulators on site. They will learn about speed/distance control and the dangers of texting while driving.
Teenagers who attend "Celebrate My Drive" will be eligible for chances to win a variety of prizes. Several free spots in the Fayette County Attorney's driving school next summer will also be given away.