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Many parents-especailly among the car-smart who read AutoWeek- are capable of teaching the traffic awareness and dynamic skills needed to keep a car safely under control. But even those who can do so find teaching their own adolescents is sometimes emotionally challenging for both parties. This is one reason for the proliferation of specialized teen-dreiver instructional programs. Many are backed by auto-makers, and most feature dynamic instruction in parking lots or on tracks.

Such programs provide an opportunity to learn skills in a controlled and safe environment, says John Mendel, senior vice president of auto operations for American Honda. "Proper training and instruction for teenage drivers helps lay a foundation of responsibility that they will hopefully carry with them into their adult years," he adds.

Ford community relations manager James Graham says it is a natural fit for a company that builds cars to teach people how to drive them. Graham notes, however, Ford's Driving Skills for Life program is not coordinated through the sales and marketing department but by the philanthropic Ford Motor Co. fund.

While basically a computer-based program, Ford offers handson instructional sessions, too. One such session was held earlier this year in Orlando, Florida. "One school [in that community] lost five teens in a six-month period," Graham said. School officials sought help, and Ford sent its professional instructors to train students from four schools.

"This [Driving Skills for Life] is a several-million-dollar-ayear program," said Graham, "but if you can save one life ... " The following is a look at automaker-affiliated teen driver programs:

>Audi Driving Experience

Conducted with the Panoz Racing School, the Audi Driving Experience offers one- and two-day programs for teenagers at either the Road Atlanta or Sebring circuits, where the emphasis is on learning-in a safe environrnent-how to deal with extrerne driving situations.

The one-day session begins with classroom instruction on vehicle dynamics, then moves into an Audi A4 for a low-speed finesse driving exercise that includes instruction on proper seating position, hand placement, steering techniques and driver awareness. Students then go to a wet skidpad to learn about grip and car-control techniques. The next exercise is designed to teach the teen how to bring a car smoothly and safely back onto pavement after one or more wheels has left the road.

A controlled-braking session covers ABS and obstacle avoidance under braking, and is followed by an emergency single-lane-change exercise and a test that reviews the day's instruction. The two-day program provides much more on-track time and adds a slalom and double-Ianechange maneuver.

The next one-day session, which costs $595, is Oct. 7. Two-day sessions, at $1 ,095, are scheduled Sept. 16-17, Oct. 28-29, Nov. 18-19 and Dec. 27-28. For more information and enrollment forms see www.audidrivingexperience.com.

>BMW Teen School

The BMW Performance Driving School is in Spartanburg, South Carolina, near the German automaker's U.S. assembly plant. It offers one- and two-day programs designed for inexperienced drivers ages 15 to 18. Participants need a learner's permit.

Instruction takes place in 3 Series sedans on the BMW test track, which is equipped with water jets that can be activated to simulate obstacles suddenly appearing in the roadway.

The one-day program includes classroom and on-course instruction ranging from hand and seat positions to learning balance and cornering techniques in a slalom, a handling and performance session, and control in under- and oversteer situations. Lane-change techniques, accident avoidance and a safety challenge competition round out the day.

The two-day program reinforces firstday learning and adds a double-Ianechange and an off-road session that includes water crossing, approach and departure angles, and dealing with steep side slopes. It ends with a stopping-distance exercise and parking-box maneuvers.

The one-day class is $400, the twoday session is $700. The next open oneday dates are Sept. 16, Oct. 28 and Nov. 22. The next open two-day dates are Nov. 20-21 and Dec. 29-30. For information see www.bmwusa.com.

>Chrysler Road Ready Teens

Road Ready Teens is a home-based program for parents and the new drivers in their families. Road Ready Teens is available in English and Spanish, and can be accessed at www.roadreadyteens.org.

Road Ready follows Graduated Licensing principles. The program includes an interactive instructional computer simulation for the teen driver and a 1 2-page manual for parents. One of those pages is the "parent-teen road rules contract" that, like the entire program, covers basic driver-ed stuff, such as "I will obey all traffic laws."

>Ford Driving Skills for Life

Though primarily a web-based educational program for teenagers and parents, Ford's Driving Skills for Life includes behind-the-wheel sessions around the country. The web-based part, available in English and Spanish, has instructions for parents and various learning activities for the teen. Six hundred students attended a summer driving camp at Ford's Michigan Proving Ground. A session is planned this fall in Southern California, with eight more anticipated in 2007. For more information visit www.drivingskillsforlife.com.

>General Motors/Bob Bondurant School of High-Performance Driving

Students in Bondurant's advanced teen-age driving course must be licensed and have at least six months of on-road experience. Bondurant's teen-specific course is based on the car-control techniques taught in the school's high-performance class, not in its racing instruction program.

The teen course spans one, two or three days, and stresses active driving skills to build confident and aware drivers. Some 80 percent of the time is spent in a vehicle-such as a Cadillac CTS-with an instructor for one-on-one teaching that stresses not only the physics of car control, but the new driver's need to elevate the eyes to be aware of what's coming down the road. Students also drive a special skid car that can simulate low-traction situations.

The one-day course runs $1,175, the two-day session is $2,195 and the three-day is $3,095. One-day classes are limited, but there are several two- and three-day sessions each month. For availability and registration information visit www.bondurant.com.

>Honda Teen Defensive Driving Program

Honda offers a 15 percent tuition discount if a teen's parent goes through the adult defensive-driving program at the same time. Honda's program is offered in conjunction with the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, though instruction takes place off the racing surface at a vehicle dynamics center. Honda also offers beginning motorcycle rider instruction that is open to teenagers and parents.

Students start in the classroom, then move into a Civic EX coupe for a wetbraking drill, emergency lane-change and collision-avoidance exercise, and then on to a skid car to simulate adverse traction conditions. There's also a vehiclemaintenance session. The fee for a oneday teen (or adult) defensive-driving program is $350 (the two-day motorcycle course is $295, and includes the use of one of the school's bikes). The teen program runs on weekends through mid-November. For information visit www.midohio.com.

>Toyota Driving Expectations

Toyota Driving Expectations, a new four-hour program held at various venues, offers classroom and at-the-wheel driving education for newly licensed teenagers and their parents. New drivers are taught proper techniques, and parents can learn to break their own bad habits.

Distraction and reaction, and the relationship between the two are emphasized in on-course instruction that includes evasive maneuvers, wet and dry braking, and a slalom. The day ends with teens and parents in a joint session.

Enrollment is free, but sessions fill quickly. The next events are scheduled for Oct. 6-8 at Paramount's Kings Island in Cincinnati (registration starts Sept. 11), Oct. 13-15 at The Woodlands Racetrack in Kansas City, Kansas (registration starts Sept. 18) and Oct. 20-22 at Wild Rivers Waterpark in Irvine, California (registration starts Sept. 25).

For additional information visit www.toyotadrivingexpectations.com .•