Free courses are being offered to young drivers this weekend to teach them how to handle emergency situations

Young drivers have the opportunity this weekend in Moraine to learn “practical and challenging exercises” to help them anticipate and respond to emergency situations while behind the wheel.

>> I-75 Work Zone in Montgomery County to Receive Special OSHP Attention During July 4th Holiday

These free driving sessions will be held at Professional Driving Systems, 5335 Far Hills Ave., Suite 125, in Dayton, on July 6 and 7. There will be two sessions each day.

“We want to give drivers the skills and knowledge to survive,” said Jeff Caldwell, owner of Professional Driving Systems (PDS), a police-based advanced driving school in Dayton.

“We are losing young drivers to preventable traffic crashes. We are teaching advanced, proactive police driving skills so young drivers can return home to their families,” Caldwell said.

Andy Wilson, director of the Ohio Department of Safety, reached out to driver training providers that offer services beyond what the average driving school offers. Advanced skills schools were tasked with providing young drivers with hands-on, engaging practice to help them anticipate and respond to driving emergencies.

>> Memorial Day weekend marks start of 100 deadliest days on Ohio roads

A quick look at some statistics:

* The accident rate among 16-year-olds is much higher than that of 17-year-olds and is almost nine times higher than that of the general driving population, according to the Ohio chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (Ohio Department of Public Safety).

* Teenager dies in traffic accident about once an hour on weekends, almost once every two hours during the week, according to the AAP.

* Drivers aged 16 to 17 are more likely to be involved in car crashes than drivers in any other group, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

* In 2021, 42% of adolescents The traffic deaths occurred between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., according to Teen Driver Source – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

* Most accidents involving teenage drivers are due to three critical errors: lack of scanning, speed and distractions, according to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

For this weekend’s courses, drivers aged 15½ to 18 will attend 2 hours of lessons and then use their own cars to complete 4 hours of challenging exercises. These exercises will include collision avoidance/evasive driving, ABS braking exercises, progressive braking, straight line braking and an offset serpentine exercise as well as skid prevention and recovery.

Driving takes place at the PDS driving range, 3600 Vance Road, Moraine.

If you are interested in participating in this program funded by the Ohio Department of Public Safety, go to professionaldrivingsystems.com and click on the Advanced Training tab to register.