Getting a drivers licence is probably one of the biggest milestones for a teenager. While it can be an exciting time for a 16-year-old, it can also be very frightening for their parents. Relinquishing the steering wheel to your child for the first time is never easy, but through proper training that includes life-saving defensive driving techniques, you can make sure your child is fully prepared, says Janet Kent, co-owner of five Young Drivers of Canada locations in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The first thing Kent wants people to know is, “All driving schools are not the same. You get what you pay for. Young Drivers is Canada’s leading driver training organization. Other schools will say they are the same, but they are not.”
More specifically, Kent says there are essential life-saving techniques any driver should know, such as in-car training for emergency manoeuvres, head-on collision avoidance and gravel shoulder recovery, all things drivers will ultimately encounter.
“There are other schools around that will teach you enough to pass your road test. We save lives,” says Kent, who is a Regional Director with Young Drivers of Canada. “We teach people how to survive on the road for life.”
Not only has Young Drivers been in business for over 40 years, it is the Number 1 driving school in Newfoundland and Labrador. Janet and her husband, Steve, have been in the business for over 10 years. They have received national growth awards and National Centre of the Year Awards, and Janet received the President’s Award for her leadership in Young Drivers. Janet is a full-time educator who is deeply committed to driver education. Steve is a community leader who devotes significant time to causes that support the development of young people.
Young Drivers also offers up-to-date classroom and in-car training, so distracted driving is now a key training point. “We also have new roundabouts in the region,” says Kent, “so we teach people how to use roundabouts. Our program is just so much more comprehensive than what some other schools are offering,” she adds.
The Kents have five Newfoundland locations — Grand Falls-Windsor, Gander, Conception Bay North, St. Johns and Mount Pearl — where drivers of all ages will get 25 hours of in-classroom training and a minimum of 10 hours of in-car training with instructors that are recertified annually. They also offer a variety of courses and times to meet all drivers’ needs, as well as flexible payment options, which many other companies don’t offer.
“Our goal is to make sure our students are excellent drivers, who are ready for life on the road,” Kent says.
For more information, visit http://www.yd.com and select your location, or call Linda at (709)737-1695.
