Skid School

ACTON — How often do teenage drivers get the opportunity to accelerate to 60 mph and immediately slam on the breaks, narrowly avoiding a "wall" of potential danger? Usually this scenario would only apply to dangerous, life-threatening situations, but with SkidSchool Advanced Driver Training Courses, student drivers learn to react in a multitude of similar life-threatening situations behind the wheel. On Saturday, October 21, thirty Acton-Boxborough students experienced SkidSchool sessions first-hand, and the results were amazing.

Student participants commented that "the hands-on experience was valuable to my learning", and that the course "will definitely help me be more cautious and help me know what to do if I have to react in split second situations". Parents also came along for the "ride", participating in demonstrations of each activity. One parent described SkidSchool as "a great program–a driver education program is incomplete without this real-world skills experience." Another added that SkidSchool "was a very informative class and even made me rethink some of my own driving habits."

At the end of the day, students and parents both agree that SkidSchool is an extremely valuable and eye-opening experience for both new and experienced drivers.

Special Note: Annie Mulcahy is a Senior at ABRHS and SkidSchool participant. This was the first SkidSchool program for Acton-Boxborough teens sponsored by Acton Parent Involvement Project (PIP), Acton Toyota and Danny's Place. To learn more about SkidSchool, go to www.msada.org or visit the PIP web site at www.actonpip.org. Submitted by Karen Herther - PIP for Annie Mulcahy ABRHS Student and Skid School Participant Contact: Karen Herther 978-263-6742 kherther@comcast.net