The Complete Driver

About the Book

This is not a how to book. It is a how you can book. It is not even a book in the conventional sense; it is a classroom seminar on advanced driver training. It is a discussion about the driving skills; drivers have the most difficulty with when it comes to car control. It is not a defensive driving manual, although there are not any driving skills available to replace defensive driving skills. It is a compilation of years of experience observing students participating in advanced driver training. Not from the perspective of what they did not know, but from the perspective of what they did not understand about driving because it had never been taught. It is an in depth discussion about how we can improve our driving skills and car control skills. The discussion examines what actually happens just before and during the driving emergency, to the driver and the vehicle. We will talk about controversial driving subjects, candidly and openly. We will discuss why the otherwise excellent driver suddenly “freezes up” when faced with a potentially life threatening driving situation and what we can do to prevent it happening to us. On the pages of this book, you will become intimately familiar with your vehicle tires, steering wheel, Brake and accelerator pedals. You will get to know those body chemicals that can drive our muscles to do phenomenal things or shut us down. You will get to know your eyes, and why their correct use, is critical to driver car control.

Skid control is not just about turning the steering wheel in the direction of the skid. Skid control is understanding and thereby anticipating everything there is to know about a skid! The discussions on advanced driving techniques follow a philosophy that has been proven on the driving course. If I simply tell you how to do something and then let you practice until you get it right you may or may not be able to accomplish that action under extreme excitation, fear or duress. If I can find a way to help you understand, WHY, certain skills are essential you will retain that knowledge and find a way to practice it and put it to use. There are no simple single acts of car control skill during the driving emergency.

The acts of steering while braking or mastering the techniques of maximum effective braking are easily accomplished in a controlled environment. During the highway driving emergency, they are several steps down the list of what needed to happen to avoid or reduce the damaging consequences of a crash! On the pages of The Complete Driver, we will examine all aspects of advanced driver skill and what we can do to improve our skills, on a daily basis, and why we must.

About the Author

Clarence Beedle has been involved in all aspects of Advanced Driver Training for over sixteen years. He has taught, directed, and developed curriculum for Anti-Terrorist, Anti-Crime, Protective Services, Tactical Driving, Accident Avoidance, Handicapped Drivers, and Off Road drivers training. His work has taken him to all parts of the world and across the United States. He has had the good fortune of working with tens of thousands of students from widely varied backgrounds and professional levels. Every driving program has begun with advanced highway safety drivers training and his greatest satisfaction has been the development of improved driving programs through the analysis of student responses, questions and skill progression. Assisting the inexperienced driver through the process of becoming experienced and the experienced driver through the additional stages of becoming a complete driver is an exciting and challenging endeavor he is dedicated to accomplishing.