Advanced Interactive Driver Education program

The following is an outline of the five (5) hour Advanced Interactive Driver Education program (A.I.D.E.) and curriculum produced for various court systems in Southern Nevada. The A.I.D.E. program will take place at the Boulder City Police Dept’s EVOC facility and be administered by the AmericanTrafficAcademy.

The program’s cost is $150 per person for traffic offenders and $175 for anyone from the general population. The number of participants is limited to 45 per session – 2 sessions per day. One car at a time on each exercise area. NO TRACK USE. Maximum speeds not to exceed 40mph!!

A.I.D.E. features dynamic classroom instruction and advanced hands on driving exercises.

Morning Class

7:30amArrive/Registration

8:00-8:45Classroom

8:45-9:00Transport from ATA classroom facility to exercise area

9:00-12:00Wet pavement car control, emergency braking, and accident avoidance

12:00-12:15Transport back to ATA facility

12:15-12:30Hand out completion certificates

Afternoon Class

11:30amArrive/Registration

12:00-12:45Classroom

12:45-1:00Transport from ATA classroom facility to exercise area

1:00-4:00Wet pavement car control, emergency braking, and accident avoidance

4:00-4:15Transport back to ATA facility

4:15-4:30Hand out completion certificates

Advanced Interactive Drivers Education program

Classroom Session

- Emphasize the impact and effects of speeding on public roadways

- Discuss mortality rates involving teenage drivers

- Discuss relationships between speed and stopping distances

- Discuss relationships between speed and your car’s handling capabilities

- Emphasize impact and dangers of driving while intoxicated

Discuss:

  • Begin discussion: why you are here?
  • Discuss age and gender related crashes.
  • Insert Statistic on age and gender group related crashes.
  • Insert statistic showing Nevada is above national average for crashes.
  • Seating and hand position
  • Sitting at the proper distance from the steering wheel and pedals. How to hold the steering wheel properly.
  • Mirror adjustment
  • How to properly adjust your mirrors to remove the blind spot.
  • Inattentive Driving
  • What is inattentive driving?
  • Why inattentive driving is dangerous.
  • Insert a statistic on collisions caused by inattentive driving.
  • Vision and Following Distances
  • The benefits of looking farther ahead.
  • Increased stopping time.
  • Less likely to be rear-ended.
  • Insert Statistic on the top contributing car accident factors.
  • More comfortable ride.
  • Less fuel usage.
  • Inclement Weather and Night Driving
  • How to drive in the wet.
  • How to drive at night.
  • Insert Statistic on inclement weather and night driving.
  • Car Control
  • Oversteer.
  • While braking with ABS.
  • While under acceleration.
  • Contact Patch.
  • Understeer.
  • Because of lock-u.
  • While under acceleration.
  • Your vehicles handling capabilities
  • Why they are different
  • Insert statistic on types of vehicles most often involved in crashes.
  • Tires
  • Understanding the numbers and letters.
  • Air Pressure.
  • Tire Wear.
  • Awareness
  • Scanning all mirrors every 30 seconds.
  • Having and escape plan.
  • Expect the unexpected
  • Respecting traffic laws and other drivers
  • Red lights and stop signs.
  • Give yourself more time to get to your destination.
  • Drivers are predictably unpredictable.
  • Speeding
  • Traveling Distances
  • Stopping Distances
  • Insert Statistic on Crashes because of Speeding
  • Road Rage
  • Driving while intoxicated
  • Merging into traffic
  • Onto a Highway/Freeway
  • Explain Skid Pad, Braking and lane change exercises

Move from classroom to driving exercises:

All driving exercises are conducted in the AmericanTrafficAcademy’s own school cars on a large, 15 acre unobstructed expanse of pavement. Our cars are 4 door sedans equipped with automatic transmissions, ABS brakes and airbags.

Hands-On Car Control exercises:

Wet Pavement Control exercise (one hour):

Students learn to “induce” skids and slides (over steer and under steer conditions) on wet pavement and also are taught the underlying skills to correct and recover from those dangerous situations. An instructor sits in the passenger seat at all times and provides direct and instant feedback to the student.

Panic Braking and Brake & Turn exercise (one hour):

Students accelerate to 40mph and are instructed to apply 100% braking at a predetermined point to activate the car’s ABS braking system and are then directed to complete the braking process by turning simultaneously. This teaches students that ABS braking systems are primarily designed to allow drivers to steer the vehicle while applying maximum braking pressure.

Accident Avoidance - Emergency Lane Change exercise (one hour):

This exercise is designed to provide students with a basic understanding of the impact and effects of critical weight transfer in a car being steered abruptly from one lane to another. This life saving information teaches drivers that high speed lane changes can lead to catastrophic loss of control when not performed properly and safely.

Return to classroom

Debrief students following driving exercises and award completion certificates required by some court systems as evidence of successful course completion.