Response Driving School

[Darth Gupta]

Anyadvanced driving instructor who is not a hidebound sexist will confirm that women as a group are more apt students than men. As a rule, women drivers tend to listen better, and are more open to learning. Safety usually ranks higher on the list of priorities as well. Guys, especially car enthusiasts, often have the lingo and the secret handshake, but enthusiasm is a poor substitute for skill and knowledge.

I try to stay away from stereotypes and generalizations, but some are too funny to let go. In racing and advanced driving schools, know-it-all enthusiasts are best handled in the same way a good coach will deal with teenagers. An open evaluation of skills rarely results in a graceful response. Instructing becomes a series of gentle nudges until the student actually reaches the desired conclusion on his own.

Earlier this month I was invited to speak about driving, and the psychology of performance, at our local Rotary club. I asked the audience a bit of a trick question, which was to name a couple of drugs, not counting the obvious recreational ones or prescriptions, which could impair driving performance. The correct answers were adrenaline and testosterone.

When people find out I am a racing driver, many assume I must be an adrenaline junkie. Actually, fight or flight responses have little to do with fine motor control. Good racing drivers, and professionals in other higher risk activities, are expert at limiting their level of arousal. That sounds kinky, but just means maintaining a good performance state versus being totally wired.

You might be surprised to know how many automobiles are damaged during press introductions. Manufacturers, wary of bad press, generally treat journalists with kid gloves, regardless of the toll of wrinkled fenders. Unbridled testosterone is often part of the problem, but the offenders still get to go home feeling reasonably heroic.

I love how Alana has come out and said what many of us suspected about men and driving. My ex hung on to the keys as if by divine right, and was a horrible backseat driver when I took the wheel, yet he was the one who dented the car. Not once but twice. You should have heard the excuses!

Well balanced, interesting article. Always refreshing to have outmoded and tedious stereotypes about women drivers up ended! Keep the commentaries coming, Alan! I enjoy your perspective and your insights.

A. Except when otherwise directed by a police officer, on the immediate approach of an authorized emergency vehicle that is equipped with at least one lighted lamp exhibiting a red or red and blue light or lens visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of five hundred feet to the front of the vehicle and that is giving an audible signal by siren, exhaust whistle or bell, the driver of another vehicle shall:

C. The driver of a vehicle other than one on official business shall not follow any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm closer than five hundred feet or drive into or park the vehicle within the block where fire apparatus has stopped in answer to a fire alarm.

2. Shall maintain a distance of at least three hundred feet behind any police vehicle involved in an emergency until the police vehicle moves to the lane closest to the right-hand edge or curb of the roadway.

E. If a person who drives a vehicle approaches a stationary vehicle and the stationary vehicle is giving a signal by displaying alternately flashing lights or is displaying warning lights, the person shall do either of the following:

1. If on a highway having at least four lanes with at least two lanes proceeding in the same direction as the approaching vehicle, proceed with due caution and if possible, with due regard to safety and traffic conditions, yield the right-of-way by making a lane change into a lane not adjacent to that of the stationary vehicle.

H. Defensive driving school courses that are offered by defensive driving schools operated pursuant to chapter 8, article 7 of this title, traffic survival school and any driver education program approved by the department shall include educational information relating to subsections D and E of this section. The department shall include information relating to subsections D and E of this section in any of the department's examination, information or education material.

We incorporate the use of technologies that are commonly used in Motorsports, including onboard cameras, data logging systems, as well as simulator training. Classroom time is purposely limited to address the specifics of vehicle handling and operation that are relevant to high-speed emergency response driving. This allows maximum driving time over the two-day program; on the large driving range and 1.2 mile test track.

The program is operated using specially prepared police vehicles providing high-performance driving and skid recovery skills training. The vehicles are equipped with onboard cameras and data logging systems to establish a 1 on 1 feedback and correction for each student.

On-track activities include skid recovery/avoidance, low coefficient of grip autocross, braking and cornering, and high-speed lapping on the 1.2-mile test track. Classroom time covers vehicle dynamics, driver control and inputs, advanced braking and cornering techniques, video, data debriefing sessions, and simulator training.

No person shall engage in the business of giving instruction for hire in the operation of a motor vehicle without being licensed for such purpose by the Registrar. Applications for a Driving School Instructor Certificate shall be filed with the Driver Licensing Department of the RMV. If an application is approved by the Registrar a license shall be granted that shall be valid for a period of one year from the date of its issuance.

Applicants for a Driving School Instructor Certificate must successfully pass the PDI Exam administered by the RMV comprised of 100-questions selected from the most current edition of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Driver's Manual. Applicants must obtain a passing grade of at least 90%. Note: Applicants should not submit an application for an instructor's certificate if they are not prepared to take the instructor's exam.

Exams are conducted on a walk-in basis, Monday through Friday at a full-service RMV office. An applicant who wishes to take the PDI Exam must provide the following documentation upon visiting an RMV branch:

Number of Questions

The PDI exam consists of 100 questions. To pass the exam, an applicant must answer 90 questions correctly. Applicants who answer 11 questions incorrectly will automatically fail the exam.

Exam Fees

The initial exam fee is prepaid to the RMV as part of the $25 application and licensing fee. Subsequent exams will require an additional $25 fee payable at the RMV location prior to re-testing.

Applicants who pass the PDI Exam should receive their Driver Education Instructor Certificate by mail no later than 7-10 days from the exam date. Applicants are not eligible to provide instruction until they receive their certificate in the mail. Applicants who do not receive their certificate within 7-10 days from the date of their exam should contact the Driver Licensing Department at 857-368-8810.

To renew a Professional Driving School Instructor's Certificate, an individual must submit a renewal application with the appropriate non-refundable $25 fee. With each annual renewal, the RMV shall conduct a criminal history background check and driving record check. Applicants who reside out-of-state must provide a criminal history/background check and driving record from their home state that is not older than 30 days and a copy of their out-of-state driver's license. Renewals are valid for a period of one-year from the original issuance date. Please allow 7-10 business days for renewal processing.

Instructors renewing their certification after a 24-month interval of non-certification shall be required to successfully repeat the Driving Instructor Training Course and pass the 100-question instructor's examination.

Driving school instructors shall conduct themselves in a professional manner and shall assume responsibility for their students well being and safety at all times while in their care. At no time shall a student be left unattended while in the care of a driving instructor

No person shall engage in the business of giving instruction for hire in the operation of motor vehicles without being licensed for such purpose and designated by the Registrar as a licensed professional driving school.

Note: No license shall be issued to a person to conduct a driving school as an individual unless he/she shall have been the holder of an professional driving instructor's certificate issued by the Registrar for at least 2 years, nor shall such a license be issued to a partnership or corporation unless at least one partner or director have been the holder of an instructor's certificate issued by the Registrar for at least 2 years. Click on the link for Professional Driving Instructor Requirements. (Professional Instructor Credential Requirements)

Once all minimum requirements are met and a location identified, applicant will submit a request to inspect the proposed location. This is the address where the Driver Education Program services will be provided. Applicant will send request sent to: rmvdrivi...@dot.state.ma.us

Customer identifies location and forwards request for a pre-site inspection. All locations must be approved by the RMV prior to any Driver Education Program services being offered to any customer.

Once a request is received by the RMV, Compliance Officer (CO) will contact applicant and coordinate for the pre-site inspection. CO will confirm the date, time and address of the location. Once inspection is finalized, CO follows up with applicant via email and advise of findings of approval or denial of pre-site inspection.

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