Category: responsible driving

Honk twice if you love me

I will often speak with my kids about the need to talk things over with either me or their mom whenever they have issues. We try to keep open communication within our home. We also talk to them about what other people say and that it’s not always true. Just because someone says something to…



If you’re happy and you know it…

As a driving instructor for Young Drivers of Canada I often get a new training vehicle every couple of years. It’s important to keep a vehicle that runs well and looks good for our students. A reliable vehicle responds well when it’s asked to. We also teach our students to run with their low beam…



Will it haunt you or save you?

I often get asked by the new students I train at Young Drivers of Canada if I drive the way I teach. The quick answer is yes. For the almost 24 years that I’ve been an instructor compared to the over 30 years I’ve driven, I honestly can’t remember much of my driving life before…



Preaching to the converted…about driving?

Preaching; I’ve done it for years. No, not in a church; in the classroom and car and it’s been about driving not religion. A number of times I’ve preached about safe driving practices to the already converted. That’s an easy sermon. It’s to the non-converted that becomes more difficult. The same can be said if…



Help is on the way

Over the many years that I’ve been a driving instructor for Young Drivers of Canada I’ve come across many nervous students. It’s not only my job to teach them how to drive safely, but it’s also my job to relax them and keep them calm behind the wheel. Sometimes it’s easier said than done. These new…



Driving can be related to…

I’ve coached kids in a number of sports over the years. A few years ago I was coaching my son’s hockey team. During one of the practices I noticed a few of the players weren’t following through with their shots. When I asked them to follow through, they looked a little confused. I asked if…



Did you see a sign?

In just about every jurisdiction around, you need to know what basic road signs mean in order to get your beginner’s permit. In Ontario, you’re allowed 4 signs wrong out of 20 and can still pass that portion of the written test. That’s not bad, but shouldn’t we know what all of the signs mean?…



Being in a hurry hurts more than yourself

Currently, for at least twice a week my eldest son has to get up an hour earlier than his siblings so he can get to band practice. Sometimes he drags his butt out of bed at the last minute and rushes off to school. Like most others who are late, he’s in a bit of…