Buckle Up And Hold On!

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By Pat Peterson Reporter

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Published: Thu, November 08, 2007 - 5:29 pm
Last Updated: Thursday, November 08, 2007 - 6:42 pm

Pat Peterson

It looks like a NASCAR race course but it's actually an important police training exercise. Police officers from across Southwest Alabama are in Orange Beach this week training on a "skid car."

"It's a very simple system," says Stanley Fant. Fant is the SkidCar training coordinator. "It's controlled by a small, hand-held computer inside that takes the traction away from either the front tire, the rear tire or both."

The SkidCar puts their skills to the test...skills they need when responding to emergencies.

"This will help them handle emergency situations in their patrol cars," says Fant. "We teach them to look ahead on the road and not just in front of them. We want officers to gauge what's going to happen if their car skids or if they lose control before they actually lose control of the cruiser."

"When you get into high-speed situations, you need to know how to handle the situation," says Officer Richard Springsteen with the Orange Beach Police Department. "This will help us make better decisions if we can't stop the pursuit and get into an accident-type situation."

The training exercise is sponsored by the Alabama Municipal Insurance Corporation. AMIC coordinators say the program has been a success. AMIC has had a 25 percent crash/accident reduction rate with officers that have completed the course. Cities that participate in the exercise can also receive car insurance rate reductions and discounts.

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