“Road Skillz”
DVD
Hosted by Arie Luyendyk Jr.
Review by Gregg Leary

Driver Education audio-visual production has come a long way from “Signal 30” and “The Last Prom.” Those graphic films featured gross out footage of actual accident victims that tried to scare teenage drivers into behaving themselves on the highway. It must have worked with me as I still remember them almost 40 years later, but I doubt they would be as effective today.
“Road Skillz” is a “kinder and gentler” approach to educating today’s teenage drivers. Host Arie Luyendyk Jr. is an excellent choice to introduce young drivers to today’s demanding driving environment. He is young, handsome, articulate…AND handles kidding from his father about the accidents he has had…on the racetrack. Using video, CGI animation and MTV-like music and graphics, this 24 minute DVD may be the best life insurance you can buy for your beginning driver. It specifically targets 16-25 year old drivers.
The statistics are frightening. The Number 1 killer of teens is auto related accidents. More 16-19 year olds will die from car crashes than from drugs, guns and violent crimes COMBINED. A teen is involved in a crash every 16 seconds and 20 teens die in a car wreck every day. Only one out of three drivers ages 16-21 use their seat belt.
“Road Skillz” is the first DVD to feature drivers from many types of racing offering common sense tips that could become lifesavers for beginning as well as experienced drivers. NASCAR driver Boris Said, Baja 1000 Champion Ryan Arciero, Champ Car pilots Sebastien Bourdais and Bruno Junqueira, and Le Mans endurance hotshoe Henri Pescarolo offer real world driving advice in a “Quick Tip” format. Topics covered include:
1.  Intersections
2.  Fog
3.  Tire Blow Out
4.  Running a tire off the Roadway
5.  Stop Lights
6.  Blind Spots
7.  Alcohol
8.  Driver Distractions
9.  Night Driving
10.  Wildlife
11.  City Driving
12.  Head-On Collisions
13.  Skidding
14.  Hydroplaning

“Road Skillz” doesn’t take itself too seriously. Subtitles are provided when Sebastien Bourdais and Bruno Junqueira’s English is difficult to understand. Henri Pescarolo has a translator. “Road Skillz” does take its message seriously. Interesting visuals drive home important points. Luyendky standing on a basketball court visually shows the viewers that a car traveling at 65MPH covers a basketball court…ninety five feet… per second. Did you know that a driver of a vehicle makes more decisions in one mile than a 747 captain does flying cross-country? I didn’t until I saw “Road Skillz.” I give it four out of five lug nuts and plan to give a copy to my two young drivers.