St. Joseph Safety and Health Council offers summer driving program for teens
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — Teens in Northwest Missouri can participate in a summer driving program hosted by the St. Joseph Safety and Health Council.
The program will have two sessions in June. The first session will take place June 1–5. The second session will take place from June 22-26.
The program is available to teens ages 15 through 19 who have a learner’s permit. There are four scholarships available for those who qualify.
Frank Till, executive director of the St. Joseph Safety and Health Council, said the goal of the program is to educate new drivers and and teens.
"The instructor will go through everything that they need to know about the lines on the road, stop blocks, stop signs and roadway signs,” he said. “Everything that they need to know as far as book smart. Then they actually get to go out in the car with the trained driving instructor, and they get hands-on real-world training driving in different atmospheres.”
In addition to driving time, the program will feature different activities and life lessons for students to partake in.
"We actually have a mechanic who comes out and teaches them how to change a tire. In case they ever get in that position, and show them what they need to have in the trunks for emergencies, flares, blankets and lights,” Till said. “We have what we call drunk goggles, which young people wear when operating a golf cart through a course. That shows them what it feels like to be impaired.”
Till said the program will be based off of hands-on learning, which will allow students to get more time behind the wheel.
"You're actually observing other students drive, so you're in the vehicle, you're watching the instructor and the other student drive, and you're learning from what they do. You're hearing the correction and giving that positive feedback for you, too,” he said.
The program also offers a way for learning driver's to seek criticism from someone other than their patents in a short period of time.
“As young people, we accept criticism from someone else or correction from someone else more than we do our parents. This is a great opportunity for kids to get a lot of training and a short amount of time far more detailed training than most parents will go through. It helps children understand the real dangers of what's out there,” Till said.
Anyone interested can sign up on the St. Joseph Safety and Health Council's website.
