By Sheldon Spackman

kartSTART races through Red Deer

Jul 7, 2018 | 3:41 PM

Local youth have had the opportunity this weekend to enjoy a unique experience that gets them behind the wheel of a go-kart to learn about driving skills and vehicle safety fundamentals.

The eighth annual kartSTART program is at Red Deer’s Westerner Park from July 6 – 8 and for the third year-in-a-row in our city, is offering this experience to 120 youth between the ages of 10 and 16.

Owner and retired professional race car driver Russ Bond says kartSTART is a half-day young driver training program presented by Toyota.

“The idea is to get kids that are 10 and up a little bit of a head start on learning to drive,” he explains. “It’s all about learning how a vehicle works here and so these vehicles work the same way as a car but they’re a lot smaller and they’re vehicles that fit them so it really works out great.”

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He says the focus is not rules of the road but really how a vehicle works.

“If you start younger and learn how a vehicle works, by the time you get to be 16, you know how a vehicle works,” says Bond. “Then it’s just a question of learning the rules of the road and you’ll probably be a much better and safer driver.”

“Mainly what we’re learning here today is we’re learning to use one pedal at a time,” adds Bond. “You’re learning to keep your eyes up and steer and pay attention to what’s going on ahead of you.”

He says taking part in the kartSTART program allows youth to learn the important life skill of driving.

“They’re going to use it their whole life, so if they come and see us, that’s what we teach them here,” he states. “The other thing is, we’re even more inclusive because now we have a mobility kart it’s called. It has hand controls so even if you’re in a wheel chair for example, you can still come and take part in this event.”

Ultimately, Bond hopes that each participant takes away more confidence in driving a vehicle by themselves.

“They’re not fully trained by any stretch but they have a basic understanding of how a vehicle works,” Bond says. “If that’s the case and they can go around here in control of a go-kart at the end of their time here, that’s fantastic.”

Over the past eight years, Bond says the kartSTART program has seen 8,000 kids take part.

This year’s 10- city cross Canada tour began June 30 in the Chilliwack, B.C. area and wraps up August 27 in the Halifax area.

For more information on the program, visit www.kartstart.ca.