A skid car is a recent and effective developments in driver training. Despite its odd appearance and funny name, Skid Cars have demonstrated their ability to successfully train drivers to handle real world situations.

It's a combination of mechanical and hydraulic components that look like a giant set of training wheels. Mounted to a car, the system allows drivers to experience a type of training that helps develop experience in both avoiding and handling hazardous situations.

Skid car training is based on the premise that the driver will put a vehicle into situations that will subject it to physical forces, leaving the driver to exercise sound judgment to lower risk while maximizing behind-the-wheel skills. While most driver training programs focus on teaching a driver new or refined motor skills, the skid car teaches drivers how to think.

Clive Jones, the owner and senior trainer of Skids R Us, stressed that the skid car teaches drivers how to avoid situations. "A superior driver is one who uses superior knowledge to avoid situations that require superior skills," he said.

"It's the action of the driver that puts the car out of control or keeps it in control." Drivers quickly realize that the key is driving with a strategy to maintain control, not regain it after it is lost.

A Unique System

Our skid car system allows our instructor, who is riding with the student, to raise or lower the vehicle using a hydraulic actuator control device. This results in an increased or decreased amount of traction to the front, rear or all four wheels and thus control that the driver experiences.

Because of the relatively low speeds and high degree of instructor control, training is in total safety and in a more friendly environment than traditional skidpans and in a manner that assures low risk training. Our instructor has the ability to drop the vehicle instantly, allowing the vehicle to regain total traction.

Since the amount of traction can be varied and the front and rear can be controlled separately, our instructor can provide a variety of experiences to the student. Skids R Us training teaches how to avoid dry road skids, as well as snow, ice and diesel skids. It also helps to deal with aquaplaning and teaches correct ABS and TC techniques.

Students are able to feel the dynamics of the skid as it occurs because of the relatively low speeds. This experience and the instructor's feedback help to develop psycho/motor skills as well as avoidance awareness.

The training is conducted at low speeds and the students learn to feel what the car is doing, allowing them to make corrections before they lose control. Students who have received Skids R Us training agree that they drive better after going through the course and say that they have found the training to be enjoyable as well as beneficial.

"Sometimes students arrive apprehensive. Once they get a feel for it, they see that it's easy to accomplish but requires a lot of thinking to make it happen safely," Clive said. "It really teaches them to think about road and weather conditions and what is happening in their immediate environment and about keeping the car stable." Skid recovery will come naturally as a result of our training plus you develop the ability to keep the car stable and under control.