Driving a car is one of those skills we take for granted. Once you get your L's, drive your 120 hours for at least twelve months, sit a test, pass and get your P's you or your children can legally drive a car on any road in Australia and in most cases over seas.

Why do we teach our children to drive a car but not teach them the best ways to be safe in a car and survive in what will be their most dangerous activity in their life?

David Russell is born and bred local Lismore man who, for more than 20 years, has been at the forefront of professional motor racing, driver training and events in Australia and overseas. David has driven V8 Supercars, in fact competed at this years 2020 Bathurst 1000 as well as the Porsche Carrera Cup series.

David's company The Drive Team has started a new business that he is passionate about, Defensive Driving Courses at LADS Driver Education Facility in Monaltrie.

"Driving has been my life since I was very young," David said, "I started driving karts at the Lismore Kart Club from the age of 10 to 15 then began getting my racing licenses and racing cars"

"To be involved in a driving business which is multi layered with driver education and driver training is definitely something that I am passionate about. There is a huge void for this area nationally but for me this is where I live, I know a lot of people in this area."

"It's heartbreaking when you see stories come up about car accidents because you know their parents or you know someone that has known those individuals and I'm not just talking about young individuals."

When the LADS Education Driving Centre opened in Lismore it meant people in the Northern Rivers didn't have to travel to Brisbane, which was the closest driver education centre.

"We are lucky to have something like this on our doorstep," David said.

David's company The Drive Team run various one day Defensive Driving Courses at LADS. David and his team put Learner Driving Instructors, Year 11 and 12 students and older people who want to become better, safer drivers through their paces teaching them how to be safe in the car at all times and what to do if you get in some sort of trouble while in traffic.

David's philosophy is to leave the Learn To Drive Courses to the professionals in that area. "It is a tough and rewarding job starting kids driving."

"It is the next phase that I want to impact, where young drivers get their P's and have no one in the car with them."

"Research has shown that one in three will have some sort of accident from a ding in the car park to something more serious in the first 12 months of driving."

Part of the our course is theory based, which focuses on what people are doing while in the car. According to David, this is the most dangerous activity they will do in their life time.

"I will present statistics and the reasons for road accidents and the deaths on our roads. People will get enough information and develop some life skills to be able to set themselves up to be safe on the roads for life."

One of the theory elements of the course is 'Proactive Driving Techniques'.

"Everyone needs to understand what you need to do to be proactive in your driving. This involves a level of attention and vision skills, no distractions. It also marries up with your brain processing and scanning what those hidden dangers can be."

"You ware looking for hazards so asking yourself what is that car doing moving out of the driveway, have they seen me? So you are asking the what if's about driving rather than driving with a level of complacency."

"When you are stressed in life when you are older or not stressed when you are young, you can have that level of inattention. You don't ask the 'what if' questions.

"We talk about drugs and alcohol as well as distractions, like mobile phones and how to manage fatigue and deciding when you are fit to drive."

People need to drive like everyone is out to get you."

On the practical side of the course, David and his team will teach emergency techniques like how to stop the car in the quickest amount of time in all conditions.

"At the training centre we have the ability to wet everything down, make it slippery while working on their vision and avoidance skills where they're maneuvering the car into another lane, giving them a choice."

"People learn what could go wrong , what could they do better and how they could not put themselves in poor position to start with.

David's philosophy is simple.

"We want to set our kids up for life using different skills. We correct them on their manners, we show them how to be an adult, we encourage them listen to their teacher and do their homework and we are giving that advice all the time."

"Driving is one of the most dangerous activities they will do in their life so why don't we give them more advanced skills?"

"Why do we just teach them to drive and leave them to it on the roads at a young age?"

"I wonder why this isn't a compulsory exercise for every young driver when you think about it."

"Every parent I speak to says "I don't know why the schools don't make it compulsory" but then the onus is on the parents to make sure their kids do the course and gain the necessary skills.

"My goal is that schools in our local area will make the Defensive Driving Courses compulsory in the near future."

The Lismore App is giving away a one day Defensive Driving Course with David at the LADS Driver Education Facility in Monaltrie.

To enter simply go to the WIN! button on the front page, fill in your details and push submit.

The competition is open now and closes next Sunday November 15 at 5pm.