Haverfordwest driving school gives students skid training (From Western Telegraph)

Haverfordwest driving school gives students skid training

11:10am Sunday 14th December 2008

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When I was invited to Withybush Showground to test-drive the new skid car, I was a little apprehensive – I’m no Jeremy Clarkson after all.

However, former fire officer John Llewelyn and qualified police driving instructor Mike Hughes reassured me that the purpose of my session was not to teach me how to ‘drift’ or perform handbrake turns.

Instead I was to use my experience of the specially engineered vehicle to learn how to cope with driving in difficult road conditions.

“There’s about £27,000 worth of hydraulic-powered equipment fitted to this car,” said John, who was an emergency fire appliance driving instructor with the fire service before developing Go For It School of Motoring.

“Until now the only skid cars in Wales have been used to train police. It can simulate conditions that cause the car to over-steer or under-steer.

“Things like black ice, water on the roads and soft verges are all things that drivers will come across but might not know how to react correctly.”

He added: “We teach people how to drive, not just how to pass their test.

“Our main aim is to reduce the number of fatalities on Pembrokeshire roads.”

As I strapped myself in, instructor Mike Hughes briefed me on what the skid car does and how it works. He told me to drive in circles while he altered the settings using a hand-held set of controls.

My initial grip went suddenly with the flick of a switch and my stomach lurched as I spiralled out of control.

A nasty patch of black ice may have produced the same frightening effect and Mike showed me how to steer myself out of danger.

Go For It School Of Motoring also runs a driving academy with young people at Pembrokeshire College, which acts as a preliminary stage before they take their driving tests.

“There has been some criticism that we are trying to take over Pass Plus,” said Mike.

“This is complete nonsense as the academy is aimed at students who have not yet started driving.

“The aim of the academy is to try and change the way young drivers think and behave, to try and make them more responsible. John and I both know that this isn’t going to happen overnight, but every journey begins with a single step.”

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