GCS Driving Academy teaches teens the importance of safe driving techniques.
By Donna Rayburn
Obtaining a driver’s license is a milestone for any teenager. Yet, for parents, it can be a time of stress and concern about their child’s newly earned freedom. Most teenage drivers are short on driving experience and long on confidence, which make a potentially dangerous combination. Statistics show that 60 percent of all teen accidents occur in the first 12 months of getting their license.
Last year, George Csanadi, the owner of GCS Driving Academy, added a teen driving division to his school to teach new teen drivers.
There is no question that a driving education is essential. The price of driving education is small, considering the skills teens need to learn can save lives.
“Parents will spend thousands of dollars on dance lessons, cheerleading, soccer or hockey and rarely invest more than a hundred dollars or so on their child’s ability to ‘stay alive’ while driving a 3,500 lb. lethal weapon, with distractions on crowded roads,” said Csanadi. He also notes that the U.S. licensing and training requirements are the lowest in the civilized world. As a result, 36 percent of the deaths of 15-19- year-olds result from driver error.
What makes GCS Driving Academy unique is that Csanadi is a professional driving instructor who teaches safe driving attitudes, defensive driving skills. He emphasizes the importance of driver awareness and the potential results of distracted driving, correct driving positions along with the science of driving such as acceleration, breaking and lane changes.
After 18 years in professional auto racing and instructing driving enthusiasts, Csanadi earned the respect of other racers and his clients. Csanadi has successfully competed at some of the world’s most famous race courses such as the Daytona International Speedway.
In 1996, Csanadi trained a 14-year-old girl transitioning from racing karts to racing cars. Today, we know her as Danika Patrick, the only woman to win an Indy Car race and one of the highest – paid female sports figures in the world.
He believes that many accidents are largely avoidable with training. Csanadi considers early learning essential to “equip young drivers with key skills.”
For more information, call 713-4233 or visit Website www.gcsdrivingacademy.com. You can also find it on Facebook under “GCSDRivingAcademy.”
