Have you ever really thought about how much you drive as a Hockey Mom? I drive a fair amount for my work, but driving to and from practices, games, and tournaments racks up the kilometres on my worn minivan. That’s why when I had a chance to attend the Ian Law Racing Car Control School on behalf of Goodyear, I jumped at it. I was assured that the Advanced Driving Course I was registered for would help correct my bad skills, and also teach me things I may not have learned over 20 (yikes!) years ago.
Though my friend and I were excited to make the trek to Brampton, we had no idea what to expect having never done anything like an Advanced Driving Clinic before. At the worst, I was hoping to not embarrass myself, and the best, I was hoping to pick up some valuable driving tips for Hockey Moms (because seriously, we are carting around very precious cargo every time we drive anywhere with our kids).
We were not disappointed! Not only was the Advanced driving course VERY entertaining, but also very educational! I knew I had some bad driving habits, but more importantly, I learned that I was doing many things incorrectly because I had never learned the proper way. The ILR Advanced Driving Course provided classroom sessions that provided the theory and research to explain why certain concepts are important, and then a chance to try it out. An important concept for hockey moms – did you know that if you double your speed, it will take you 4 times longer to stop? We learned this in the classroom, then we got to practice it in the parking lot. Where else do you have a chance to gun your vehicle and bring it up to a decent speed, and then SLAM ON THE BRAKES to get the feel for how your vehicle reacts, how you react, and to help us truly understand the difference in braking distance the more you speed up. This activity was actually kind of disturbing for both my friend and I, who have been known to have a heavy foot at times. So we know you are rushing to those games, but seriously, SLOW DOWN and give yourselves plenty of space between you and the vehicle in front of you!
The section on understanding your vehicle, particularly the sections on antilock brakes and tires, really helped me to understand the importance of both. For example, did you know it takes vehicles with ABS brakes 10 times longer to stop on black ice than dry pavement? So again, SLOW DOWN because we all know we will probably hit some black ice somewhere along the line this hockey season.
Getting a picture with Ian Law of Ian Law Car Control School after one of the classroom sessions.
And, after finishing the course, I really DID (and still DO) understand the importance of making sure to have the proper tires for both your vehicle and driving conditions. Specifically, I had plenty of questions about winter tires, why they are important, and when they should go on. What stood out for me was that “Tires are the most underrated safety feature of the vehicle,” and also that “winter tires begin to outperform all-season tires when temperatures begin to drop below 7 degrees Celsius.” It’s a no brainer, we live in Canada, get your winter tires on! This year I’ll be test-driving Goodyear Ultra Winter Tires on my vehicle, and I’ll provide a Hockey Mom’s view of their performance!
I can honestly say that after taking the ILR Advanced Driver Training course I would recommend it to anyone who drives (even if you think you know everything), and I would 100% recommend it to new drivers, including my own kids, when it is time. The instructors – who are all race car drivers, by the way – do a really great job, they are knowledgeable, and friendly, yet patient.
I attended the Advanced Driving School, but there is also a Winter Driving School that would be perfect for me, and every other Hockey Mom. Congratulations to K. Fergusson who won our Winter Driving School Giveaway, you are going to blast!
For more questions about The ILR Car Control School visit www.carcontrolschool.com
For more helpful car care advice or information on tires for cars, light trucks, SUVs and more, visit your local Goodyear retailer or go online to www.goodyear.ca.
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