Defensive Driving schools?

[403Gemini]

Hey guys

Just wondering if anybody here knows of any good defensive driving schools?

My wife has extreme anxiety when she drives due to being in a few bad accidents as a kid so she only has her learners license. I told her I wouldn't get a house with her until she got her license - we'll i folded on that... then it was marriage, then I folded on that and we got married ;)

Well now the talk about kids is coming up, and I told her, she NEEDS to have a license with kids - there is no stipulation on this. I'm not playing Taxi for the rest of my life , and more from a safety standpoint if I'm out of town for work and something happens to the kids, she NEEDS to have the ability to be able to get them to a hospital/doctor (Last year I sliced my hand open REALLY bad and probably needed stitches but we didn't go since i was very light headed from losing quite a bit of blood and couldnt use the steering wheel and she didn't drive - and I insisted on not calling an ambulance for a cut on my hand)

She knows all of the rules of the road, in general is fairly comfortable on the side roads (Which is all that would be required to get her to work, to the grocery store, to the doctor) so she doesn't need classroom work - she just needs somebody to teach her behind the wheel. I've been working with her the last few months and really the only issue she seems to be having now is parking (and sometimes the more narrow side roads when a car is coming her way, I just tell her pull to the side and let them pass), and she gets so flustered and gives up.

With me, she can give up, she unbuckles her seatbelt and gets out to switch places with me when I tell her to circle the block and try again.

With somebody else, she can't/won't do this.

Any names/contacts are greatly appreciated guys :)

[killramos]

Back in the day i went with Fleet Safety International. It was decent enough.

Ama is always an option as well.

[mr2mike]

I went through https://www.yd.com/
Young Drivers. I'm certain people in my class were not all young. I think I was the only one in there with just my learner's permit.

[ExtraSlow]

My opinion, she should take more than one school, as she will pick up diffferent things from each.

I would suggest getting her into an AMA school or similar ASAP, and also signing her up for the Ghost like ice driving school later in the winter. Let her get some seat time in before that, and she'll learn more about winter driving in that one day than any other school.

Also, while she is learning to drive, make her drive everywhere. Really everywhere.

And, as a final marriage saving tip, try to figure out if you are an asshole teacher. Most guys are. Try to shut up when she's driving. Don't help her, because you are probably making her anxiety worse.

[msommers]

Took mine through AMA. Very happy with it.

[403Gemini]

Originally posted by ExtraSlow


And, as a final marriage saving tip, try to figure out if you are an asshole teacher. Most guys are. Try to shut up when she's driving. Don't help her, because you are probably making her anxiety worse.

Honestly, for the first week - I was. I identified it really fast , and then I just shut the fuck up and let her do her thing. Even when i could tell she was getting stressed I wouldn't say "It's okay..." cause i felt like i was patronizing her. The only times I'd really speak up is to say "you're getting a bit close to the cars on the right" or something like that.

I ended up just thinking about me when I started driving and how such small things seemed so overwhelming for me, like just remembering EVERYTHING from signalling, to turning and avoiding the median, and making sure you end up in the correct lane. It's just reaction/simple now , but when you're fresh behind a wheel, it's easy to feel overwhelmed.

When we're out cruising now though, after awhile when I can tell shes comfortable I just talk to her like I normally do - nothing about driving, or talk about music (if the radio is playing) and she gets noticeably relaxed.

[403Gemini]

Taking a look at AMA , their "Brush up" courses may be perfect, if they can focus on parking and maybe winter driving for 2-4 lessons I think that'd be perfect for her. Then yeah, after those , make her drive everywhere.

[msommers]

I'd go full bore with the courses for the teacher assisted practical portion and have someone official yell at her that isn't you. I learned a lot in my defensive driving, things I had no idea I was doing wrong or not making aware of. Upon completion, it made me realize how horrible my parents were as drivers. Even my gf, who has taken drivers ed, thinks she's a great driver. But I often cringe when I'm in the car :rofl:

[jacky4566]

+1 for the AMA course. Not sure if they still do it but they used to take the students out to DeWinton Airport for some pylons. Certainly helps you understand emergency manoeuvres.

Also get her to feel what ABS is like. Get on an icy road or ghost lake (When its frozen) and slam on the brake so she knows what ABS is.

[drtoohotty1]

Get her into the SASC winter driving school so she can feel what her car will do on ice so she is prepared for the winter roads, my wife is super anxious and i made her do it last year, after crying 2 times at the beginning she was doing the circuit at the end like a pro.

[mr2mike]

Originally posted by jacky4566
Get on an icy road or ghost lake (When its frozen) and slam on the brake so she knows what ABS is.
A) Don't just drive on ghost lake to get in a icy road enviro. Have you driven on it?? It's full of rock solid drifts, etc. There's a potential to high center, bust bumper covers, etc. Also good luck getting a tow truck there if you really need it. I agree with what you said, just not on Ghost lake.

Maybe she's got a friend that can help her? It's like taking golf tips from a significant other. Doesn't go over as well.

[theken]

Find a smith driving instructor. Best course you can take.

[Xtrema]

https://ama.ab.ca/auto-and-driving/driver-education/drivers-ed-courses/collision-avoidance-course/

I used to do this every 3 years as per site safety requirement. It's pretty good if she already got the basics down. The AMA instructor is always good at pointing out the bad habits. And the iced up course is a plus as well in winter.

[403Gemini]

Jesus some of these courses I would like to take just for fun haha

[Calgaryscot]

Originally posted by theken
Find a smith driving instructor. Best course you can take. I agree, I was a Smith System Instructor for a few years back in the UK, I taught it to professional fuel truck drivers and even the most seasoned trucker agreed it was a great defensive driving course.

[kevinb]

AMA and it was worth it.