• line of sight vision and night
driving;
• time and distance relation-
ships and how reaction time dimin-
ishes at higher speeds;
• tire talk, which explains how
tires affect the forces that are
applied to our vehicles; vehicle
dynamics, which discusses a vehi-
cle's limits; and,
• braking and turning, one of
the most critical relationships in
driving.
Students get behind the wheel of cars provided by Ricci. Currently, they are former police Crown Victorias. As cars rotate out of the fleet, he will add different models that are more like family sedans. Class size is limited to 8-10 students so each can spend a lot of time driving.
An instructional video by Sandy Stevens, of Stevens Advanced Driver Training, titled "Keeping Control of a Car," makes the point there is a "thin line between complete control and no control." A seat belt is an important tool in driving because it holds a driver in position and enables the driver to better operate the vehicle and controls, thereby preventing a crash.
A few miles per hour makes a
big difference in controlling a car. Ricci demonstrated this point with the slalom course. We've all seen professional drivers run a slalom. It looks easy - - until you're behind the wheel. He runs a student through a series of speeds between 30 mph and 40 mph. The car can't handle a speed over that and spins out of control when Ricci demonstrates higher speeds. "Just two to three miles per hour could mean a loss of control," he said.
Being in control means understanding reaction time. It takes the average driver one-half to three-quarters of a second to respond to outside stimulus. At 55 mph a car travels 77 feet per second. In an emergency situation, it would take you 57 feet just to realize what's happening. A sedan like a Dodge Intrepid is 16 feet long. That's why it's important to keep six car lengths distance, or a two to three second gap, from the car in front of you.
Ricci also teaches a protective
The first mistake people make is getting too close to the car in front of them at a stop light. It leaves no room for evasive moves. He said a driver should always be able to see pavement between them and the car in front.
If somebody threatens you in your car, don't be passive. "Keep the car moving until there is no way out," Ricci told his students. Use your car as a weapon. As he says, the best way to defeat an attacker is to surprise the attacker. He adds that it's always better to flee a scene than it is to stay and fight.
An interesting part of Ricci's security school involves the instruction
of CPR and the use of automatic defribilators, or AEDs, as they are commonly
known. In a heart attack situation, if the principal in the backseat has
a heart attack situation, he tells his students, the driver has now become
the most important employee in the company. In a life or death situation,
proper training allows the drivers to make the right decision. +