News

Actions

Troopers teach teens to drive in winter conditions

Posted at 5:42 PM, Feb 22, 2014
and last updated 2014-02-22 23:40:51-05

LEHI, Utah -- To make young drivers feel more confident in winter conditions, the Utah Highway Patrol put together an ice and snow driving obstacle course using a snow maker.

Students practiced steering, braking and accelerating through the snow at the Department of Public Safety Emergency Vehicle Operations Course in Lehi.

“There's a set course that we are going to have them drive through,” Trooper Shawn Thomas said. “And then we are going to have them do certain things and certain parts to allow the car to slide a little bit and have them recover it in a safe way.”

The course instructors said the idea behind the winter driving course is to teach teens good driving habits before they have time to learn bad ones.

“They do have some fun out here,” Thomas said. “They are driving retired police cars, they have lights on them, they generally have a good time. But the whole point of the class is to make them a better driver and a safer driver.”