INAUGURAL DRIVER TRAINING DAY AN OUTSTANDING SUCCESS!

The first Driver Training Day to be staged in the Central West district – focused on giving inexperienced drivers a better understanding of how their car behaves in different driving conditions - has seen over 30 young drivers from as far away as Canowindra take part.

The event was held on a dirt airstrip on private land at Coombing Park neat Mandurama. Land owner George King, who has completed a number of advanced driver training courses and knows full well the importance of having confidence behind the wheel, was only too happy to let his land be used for this purpose. At the end of the day he invited the organisers (Christian Autosports Club of Australia) to come back at any time to run another event and the Club has responded by committing to the staging of a second Driver Training Day in November.

The Driver Training Day was the culmination of more than eight months of preparation and planning by Blayney residents Craig Hingston and Trevor Hibbs - the first CACA members in the Central West, and leaders at Abundant Life Church Blayney which got behind it in a big way.

“We are always looking for practical ways to help our community”, says Craig, “I moved to Blayney last year from Sydney and, as a member of Christian Autosports for many years, I knew that we were looking to take our driver training expertise out to the country areas. So, I asked the Club to consider Blayney district as its first regional venture out west and they agreed. I also presented the idea to the leadership of Abundant Life Church Blayney and they immediately decided to support it as much as they could. In the end that meant handling the organising and promotion of the day, subsidising the entry fees of all of the drivers, purchasing the food and drink, and providing volunteer help and some of the equipment.”

“The ages ranged from 12 years to adult”, adds Trevor, “And they drove everything from hatchbacks to a tray top ute to Landcruiser four wheel drives. Whilst most of the drivers came from Orange, Blayney and Bathurst, others came from as far away as Canowindra and Manildra.”

Christian Autosports Club of Australia, which is more than 30 years old, has been running these events in Sydney for a long time, and conducts driver training events every month. The club has a number of members who have either decades of motor sport experience or who are professional advanced driver trainers. The non-denominational not-for-profit organisation has observed that learner drivers, P-platers, “nervous Mums” and adults of varying ages with all levels of driving experience have benefited from attending.

The Driver Training Day was a “non speed event” to acquire or improve basic driving skills in a “safe and friendly” environment. Normal road going cars manoeuvre around witches hats, markers or flags in a set direction, generally using first gear. Car control is the most important aspect of the day - not speed. One-on-one supervision was provided by the CACA officials.

Drivers received a special one day “Come ‘N Try” licence from the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport which sanctioned the event. Vehicles were inspected by CACA scrutineers for road worthiness.

The drivers followed a series of courses – with such names as Crazy Square and Straight Slalom - marked by witches hats and coloured flags in fenced-off areas along the air strip. With only one vehicle in each area at any one time the worst thing that happened was flipping over a witches hat.

The drivers started the day very cautiously with a number of vehicles steering around the markers at not much more than walking pace. Officials timed them so that they could assess the improvement of each driver throughout the day. Then, they witnessed the State Motorkhana Champion, 15 year old Robyn Annabel, as she took a standard road car and demonstrated how it could be done with a lot of practice.

The demonstration must have helped to build confidence because from then on the drivers became more willing to let their vehicles break traction and understeer or oversteer, as they worked out how to keep them under control. Some managed to improve their times by more than 20 seconds which showed a dramatic improvement in car control. By the end of the day they were all smiles and wanting more runs!

CACA officials led group discussions throughout the day to get valuable feedback from the drivers and to offer advice. One official who coaches government departments on advanced driver safety gave everyone a practical demonstration in how to correctly position yourself in the drivers’ seat, place your feet on the pedals and hold the steering wheel. Simple advice but very worthwhile.

At the close of the day - with most of the drivers indicating with a show of hands that they would like to participate in another Driver Training Day in the future, and their parents in full agreement - the CACA officials presented “Most Improved” awards to three local teenagers who had shown remarkable progress. Attendance certificates are being posted out to each driver.

Craig and Trevor are very thankful for the support they received in preparing the event. It all began when they were introduced to the region’s Road Safety Officer, Iris Dorsett, last year and this led to a presentation of the concept to Blayney Shire Council and police in November 2007. The late Ted Wilson immediately recognised the merit of the program and tasked Council assist with finding a suitable venue. That support continued through the work of new mayor, Scott Ferguson.

“We presented the concept to Newcrest Mines at CADIA and their immediate response was ‘How can we help you?’ As a result, they supplied us with all of the safety bunting and the Portaloos. IGA Blayney assisted with the pricing of the food and drink we ordered. John Davis Motors from Orange gave us the big marquee for the day, and Blayney SES let us use their generator. This support was typical of the response we have received in the district. When I was asking if business operators in Blayney would put up our poster in their window they welcomed the opportunity to provide young and inexperienced drivers with valuable experience in a safe environment. At the same time, the mums and dads who called and emailed me said the same thing”, adds Craig.

“Our intent was to upskill drivers of varying ages and levels of experience, especially L and P platers, so that they gain superior road skills…hopefully minimising the incidence of accident or personal injury”, says Trevor, “We would hope that the ‘graduates’ of our event would become ambassadors for improved driver education in our region, and use positive peer pressure to influence their friends.”