What an amazing program for our teenage drivers! My 17 year old daughter was in a horrible car accident back in February of this year. It took her a couple of months after her accident to even get behind the the wheel again. I was telling a friend about what happen and she told me about this non-profit organization Drivers Edge defense driving program that her son took last year at the Las Vegas motor speedway. She gave me the information to keep an eye out for the next time they are in Vegas. They give this program twice a year, but it fills up very fast. Thankfully, I was able to sign my daughter up for this recent program. The next program will be in December. This course will teach your teen how to drive safely and how to react in a dangerous situation! It's very informative and they are trained by professional drivers. I even learned a lot while attending this course with my daughter. The program is 4 1/4 hours long and they will be provided a certificate at the end! I give this course a 10/10!!! Highly recommend. read more

This excellent defensive driving skills program is highly recommended for any teenage driver. Heck, everyone could benefit from Driver's Edge and I wish it was around back when I got licensed in the Dark Ages. Geared for drivers 21 and under, this free, non-profit program is one that I heard about when I worked for one of the municipal courts back in the day. One of the judges would sentence juvenile traffic offenders to this program in lieu of a fine. When it was time for my own teen to get licensed, I went to the website and registered for updates so I'd know when they'd be back in town. The program is a half-day at the Las Vegas Speedway and includes behind-the-wheel learning for the young drivers, important things that never get taught in traditional driver's education. There are four modules: - car care (tire safety, seatbelts, steering wheel and seat position, under the hood basics, distracted driving) - Nevada Highway Patrol (an officer discusses what to do if pulled over, DUIs, open Q & A) - behind-the-wheel ABS braking exercises with professional drivers, including evasive lane maneuvers - behind-the-wheel skid control exercises Parents are invited to attend the course with their children. We were in the morning session on a very cold and windy day at the Speedway. It actually started to rain, too. However, the four classes held that weekend were totally full. I was able to snag a spot when registration opened online, but I had friends who couldn't get in; it had been 8 months since the last Driver's Edge weekend was held in town, so I know that people were waiting for it to return. Starting with registration in tents at the Speedway, there was hot coffee and donuts waiting inside. The program started with a short film about local teens who were involved in a horrific car crash where a couple of the passengers died and then an introduction about Driver's Edge from its founder, Jeff Payne. He talked about the schedule and then the students were split into the four different modules, rotating from one to the other until each student had attended each. All of the instructors have impressive backgrounds, many either professional NASCAR drivers and/or Skip Barber driving school educators. There was even a former "Bachelorette" star there, Arie Luyendyk, Jr., who taught the skid control module. I only know he was on that show because the other instructors teased him about it and one of my friends couldn't believe I didn't know who he was when I mentioned it to her; oh well. Our son enjoyed the skid control and ABS exercises the most, of course, and those are probably the most valuable, in my opinion. The kids are given the chance to experience what it feels like to lose control of the car, skid, and maneuver evasively in someone else's car with a professional driver right beside you. These teens were going as fast as they could and then slam on the brakes; I never did that when I learned how to drive. If you want your teen to take this course, and you should, go to the website and sign up for the updates so you can be notified when they offer the program here again. It's invaluable; all they ask is that you make a donation. It was a very educational four hours spent with the teen and knowing that he's taken the course makes this mom a little less nervous about the kid out on the road. http://driversedge.org/program read more

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My son participated in the program in Reno. The instructors were engaging and kept the kids interest. I am grateful for the lessons my son learned. I think teen drivers should all take this class. read more

Great experience!! Three of my kids have been through the program and it helped there driving abilities. I recommend this program

Amazing program. We were so surprised of the caliber of drivers that participated. Each of their resumes were so impressive. They all had such great personalities too. I wish I had participated in a program like this and was able to practice driving under the controlled conditions that were offered. The hydroplaning, the braking, road obstruction, etc. The lesson about car maintenance and tips on safety/statistics, etc were very helpful. That instructor was a little wacky, but great. I hope my other friends that have a teen driver will take advantage of this program. read more

My son did this class one and a half years ago, and he has had to utilize a few of the techniques he learned in Driver's Edge. He is a phenomenal driver, and I am so grateful for the time and commitment these professional drivers give to ensure teens have good driving skills! I recommend this program to all my friends who have new drivers. I think it should be required! Thanks Drivers Edge, for all you do for our young drivers! read more

This course is amazing. My son has 6 hrs of driving, after this course he has a newfound confidence behind the wheel. He was able to apply the skills to avoid collision with a car that pulled out in front of us the very next day! So grateful. I wish it was mandatory for teens to take this class! read more

I attended all of the driving hours with Drivers Edge and it was great. All three teachers were very helpful and ultimately helped me pass my driving test. I highly recommend going to Drivers Edge for class as well as the driving. read more

Highly recommend this program! My daughter & her Freind & I attended and we learned so much! Go you will be so thrilled you attended! Thank You to Drivers Edge for everything :) read more

My husband, my son and myself were fortunate to be a part of this amazing program on Saturday. The instructors are amazing and the message(s) delivered by the team were invaluable. I am so very thankful at their patience with me in particular and the knowledge that we all walked away with. thank you to the entire team of this program for an incredible experience!! read more

I've known about this program for awhile, and made sure to sign up for alerts on the Driver's Edge website so I would know when registration opened. My son and I were very fortunate to get a spot in this weekend's program! I was amazed by the caliber of the program leaders and instructors - take a look at the website, click on "The Team" and you'll see what I mean. Instruction lasts about 4.5 hours, and includes sessions with the Nevada Highway Patrol, a module on seatbelt safety and car care, which includes proper seat and hand positioning - and, of course, behind-the wheel exercises that teach young drivers about ABS braking systems and skid control. The skid module is actually performed on a wet surface. My observation? Kids got into the driver's seat looking pretty nervous, but were all smiles when their turn was over - they were proud of themselves, and rightly so! My son and I thoroughly enjoyed the day, and I highly recommend this program for parents who want to give their teens an advantage on the roadways. I've been driving for many years, and I learned a thing or two...or six! It was very obvious Founder and CEO Jeff Payne is extremely passionate about this program. You can bet my younger children will attend this program when the time is right. read more

"Teaching a kid how to parallel park doesn't keep him or her safe on the road," the Driver's Edge workshop began. "Knowing what to do when your car spins out of control does." Those words are now permanently etched in my mind, along with the observation that traditional driver's education doesn't work. In fact, one reason why teens are so accident-prone is that the driver's education they usually receive is obsolete. It can be tough out there on the roads--they need to know what to do when they lock-up the brakes. They need to recover from hydroplaning. They need to learn how to steer around cones and come to a safe halt. They need to know how cool it is to wear a seat belt and sit properly! Taught out at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Driver's Edge does all that--and more. I was really impressed. The team of racecar drivers really knows how to communicate with teens. The tone is frank--there is a lot of humor and some compelling anecdotes--but the substance is real. It resonates. My kid was skeptical (he wanted to sleep in instead of spending his Saturday in driving instruction). But he really, really enjoyed the workshop, and learned a lot. He even bragged about it to his friends! And, unbelievably, the program is free. And my kid wasn't the only one who learned--I picked up a ton of information, too, and I've been driving for almost three decades. If everyone went to Driver's Edge, our roads would be so much safer. If you're hesitating about going, don't. Just register. You won't regret it. read more