Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office
Display graphic version of pageTeen Driver Challenge
The November 5th-7th class is full. No further registrations are being accepted.
The Teen Driver Challenge will be offered on the following dates:
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Teen Driver Challenge Dates: |
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Sheriff Gee is pleased to offer a new safety program for teen drivers.
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for those ages 15
to 20 across the nation. Safety on the roadways is a priority of Sheriff
Gee and he is committed to helping our youth get off to the best start
behind the wheel.
The new program is called the Teen Driver Challenge, which is supported
by the Florida Sheriffs Association. The program is part classroom/part
driving experience. Safety on the roads is everyone’s responsibility.
The Teen Driver Challenge is one way teens and parents can build the
foundation for years of safe driving.
The Teen Driver Challenge is a defensive driving and vehicle control
program designed for teenage drivers. The two-day program is designed to
provide young drivers with the knowledge and understanding of vehicle
dynamics and human kinetics’, the forces created by an automobile and
the effects of the forces on the human body.
The objective of the program is to enhance the young driver's awareness
of the complex task of operating a motor vehicle and to create and
practice skills that will prepare them to anticipate and handle hazards
that occur daily in normal driving conditions. This program has been
created by law enforcement professionals. The curriculums were created
around the fact that most crashes involving teenage drivers are
classified as "avoidable" and due to lack of experience or training,
teens are not prepared to make the vehicle respond appropriately.
The education segment (defensive driving) is designed to give the
student a better understanding of the responsibilities and liabilities
of the driver, vehicle dynamics, friction and the effects of
intoxicating substances on their ability to operate the vehicle. A
traffic model is created at the beginning of the program and segments
build on each other to a final conclusion; 35 mph is fast. This portion
of the program gives the students a better understanding of why the
vehicle responds the way it does and prepares them for the exercises on
the driving range. The basic principles of safe, defensive driving are
emphasized throughout this program.
Skills and Techniques:
The purpose and the structure of this program is to give young drivers a
strong foundation from which they can continue to develop and improve
their driving skills to a consistently high level while maintaining safe
driving habits. Due to lack of experience, most teens have little or no
idea of how the vehicle responds in a given situation or how to regain
control of the car once it is out of control.
Eight basic skills, actions and/or techniques of driving are identified
as areas that teens need experience or training to safely operate a
motor vehicle. Steering, acceleration, deceleration, backing and off
road recovery are some of the tasks addressed in this program. Training
exercises used in this program have been adopted from the law
enforcement-training manual that is approved by the Criminal Justice
Standards and Training Commission. Student drivers must complete the
following exercises:
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Training Exercises |
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| 1. Evasive Maneuvers | 5. Off Road Recovery |
| 2. Threshold / Emergency Braking | 6. Forward Serpentine |
| 3. Cornering | 7. Reverse Serpentine |
| 4. Backing | 8. Figure 8 |
All classes are conducted under the direct supervision of certified
high liability driving instructors. Instructors ride with each student
and students move to the next exercise only after the instructor feels
the student has demonstrated a reasonable degree of skill.
The Teen Driver Challenge is an effective program at reaching teens,
modifying their attitudes and creating all around better teenage
drivers. So what can we do to help ensure that our kids live long enough
to gain the experience necessary to become a good driver? We provide a
training program that prepares them for emergency situations they may
encounter everyday on our roadways & highways. We believe that we can
reduce the chances of your child becoming a highway statistic through
this defensive vehicle control program.
PLEASE NOTE: Each class is
limited to 12 participants. A valid Driver's License (No Restricted
Licenses) and a vehicle are required.
The classroom portion is held from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at 2008 E. 8th Avenue,
Tampa. The driving experience is conducted from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the
Walter C. Heinrich Practical Training Site at 14603 State Road 39 in Lithia.
To enroll, you must download the forms, some of which must be notarized. The
program is offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Completed forms may be mailed or hand-delivered to:
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office
Attn: Crime Prevention Bureau
P.O. Box 3371
Tampa, FL 33601
For more information, contact the Sheriff’s Crime Prevention Bureau at (813)
247-8115.
Please click the links below for release forms and applications. For further
information please call the Sheriff’s Office or contact the School Resource
Officer at your child’s high school.
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Student Statement Of Voluntary Participation And Release Of All Claims |
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Vehicle Owner's Statement Of Permission And Release Of All Claims |
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HCSO Programs
HCSO Services
HCSO Phone Numbers
Emergencies:
911
Non-Emergencies:
(813) 247-8200
Crime Stoppers:
(800) 873-8477
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