Las Vegas program teaches young drivers life-saving tips to avoid accidents

Screams from an actual 911 call streamed through the speakers inside a small tent at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway as nearly 90 young drivers and their parents sat in silence early Saturday morning.

Driver’s Edge, a free half-day course that aims to save lives and make highways safer through comprehensive hands-on youth driver education, was kicking off its 2016 season.

“In this country, none of us are taught how to drive…we’re just taught to pass a test,” said Jeff Payne, founder of the nonprofit program. “Car crashes are the number one killer of America’s youth – more than guns, drugs and violent crimes combined, and we can start making a difference and saving lives immediately, simply through education.”

The teen drivers were put behind the wheel Saturday to experience what anti-lock braking systems feel like, how to control a vehicle when it’s skidding and what to do when making an evasive lane change to avoid an accident.

“Floor it,” Driver’s Edge instructor Leo Maia told 15-year-old Sarah Flood within minutes of her stepping inside the car.

Flood was instructed to accelerate and keep the car heading forward instead of spinning out of control when it hit a puddle of water.

“The more experience you have driving, the harder it is to do,” Maia told Flood, who had been driving for the last six months.

“I was nervous, but it was less terrifying than I thought,” Flood said. “It’s good to have this experience beforehand.”

Her father, Adam Flood, signed her up for Driver’s Edge to give her more familiarity behind the wheel.

“It’s a great experience for her to learn situations here and not on the freeway,” he said. “It was fun to watch her experience it and build up her confidence.”

Faith Lutheran High School sophomore Sydney Keech attended Driver’s Edge with her mom, Rachel, and two friends.

“It was so scary especially when you don’t know what it’s like,” Keech said about skidding.

Rachel said she takes her daughter to empty parking lots to teach her driving basics.

“There are so many distractions and accidents so this is great,” she said about Driver’s Edge. “Schools need to start doing this.”

She added, “It’s great for [Sydney] to know what to do if something happens and that it’s not coming from mom or dad.”

The eyes are the most important tool when driving, said Scott Lubratich, a volunteer Driver’s Edge instructor .

“Your hands follow your eyes so look where you want to go,” he told the young drivers.

Lubratich said it’s important to familiarize first-time drivers with what to do in an emergency.

“At this age, their memory is amazing,” he said. “In a split second, everything they learn here can come back to them when they need it.”

Nearly 700 young drivers and their parents were expected to complete Driver’s Edge over the weekend, Payne said.

The 14-year-old program conducts at least 10 events in Nevada each year and is free for attendees.

Funding was made possible from a Department of Public Safety grant and support from the Nevada Department of Transportation, Las Vegas Motor Speedway and State Farm, among others, Payne said.

“Like any charity, we’re always looking for funding,” he said. “If we had more funding, we’d be out here every weekend.”

The next Driver’s Edge event is April 10 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. To register, visit www.driversedge.org.

Contact reporter Ann Friedman at afriedman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4588. Find her on Twitter: @AnnFriedmanRJ