Contact: Susan Barber Lindquist
715-838-3012
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — The risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16- to 19-year-olds than among any other age group. In fact, per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely than older drivers to crash, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Luther Midelfort and Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) are teaming up to offer Car Control Class, a daylong event to allow 30 teen drivers to experience real-world accident situations in a safe environment and then learn how to correct them.
Car Control Class will be offered from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 10, at CVTC’s West Campus, 4000 Campus Road. The class is open to ages 16 through 19. The cost is $30 per teen, which includes supplies and lunch for the teen and parent(s). Participants should dress for the weather as time will be spent outside.
The day will include classroom instruction and behind-the-wheel coaching from a trained professional in the passenger seat next to the teen driver. At least one parent or guardian must attend the class for the whole day with each teen driver.
The goal of this class is not to teach teens how to drive. Rather, trained professionals will coach teens on how to be safer drivers while having teens experience situations — like hydroplaning, skidding, heading toward a ditch or avoiding a deer in the road — that frequently cause panic and overcorrection resulting in accidents.
Dr. Leland Mayer, Car Control Class coordinator
“Programs like this are offered nationally with great success, so I am excited Luther Midelfort and CVTC are able to bring this to Eau Claire,” said Dr. Leland Mayer, Luther Midelfort orthopedic surgeon and Car Control Class coordinator. “By combining our resources — CVTC’s facilities and instructors and Luther Midelfort’s medical knowledge and commitment to trauma prevention — we hope to prevent teen accidents, injury or even death.”
Bruce Barker, CVTC president
“This partnership, with Luther Midelfort using CVTC instructors and the CVTC Driving Range, will help save lives and prevent heartbreak. It’s the right thing to do,” said Bruce Barker, president of the technical college. “Safety is proactive.”
Participants must register and provide:
• Proof of insurance. Liability, uninsured/underinsured coverage required. Collision coverage is optional, but drivers are responsible for any damage that may occur.
• Signed waiver. Found with registration materials at www.luthermidelfort.org.
On the day of the class, each teen must bring:
• At least one parent who must attend the entire class with the teen. Parents attend all classroom presentations with the teen and observe the driving exercises. Parents will assist with cone resetting.
• The car the teen drives most often. All loose items in the car should be removed. No full-size sports utility vehicles or pickups are allowed.
• Valid driver’s license. Learning permits are not accepted.
Registration is limited to 30 teens and their parents or legal guardians. To register, go to www.luthermidelfort.org and click on “Car Control Class.”
Car Control Class also is planned to be offered this fall. For more information, call 715-838-3073.
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In partnership with Mayo Clinic, Luther Midelfort offers a full range of quality medical services, including cardiac and orthopedic surgery, cancer and trauma care programs. Through a network of community-based healthcare providers in west-central Wisconsin, Luther Midelfort provides access to experts close to home.
