Thanks to Lehigh Carbon Community College’s Young Driver Program, first-time motorists are getting a safe opportunity to train on the road.

The digital road, that is.

Headed by Public Safety Training Specialist Athanasios Milios, the 10-hour program introduces amateurs to numerous aspects of driving, but the main point of the program is to mentally prepare them for the real world.

“The idea is to give them the experience that they need before they actually go out on the road and potentially hurt themselves or other people,” Milios said. “We do lecture for several hours, and then we do the simulator for the rest of the class.”

The TransSim VS5 simulator, which features five computers and three screens that replicate the interior of a car, helps students hone their reaction time, thought processes and skills to prevent accidents. Hazard recognition, vehicle handling, space management and speed management are the central elements to safe driving that Milios aims to reinforce through lectures and simulations.

To get the students in the right head space for real-world driving, Milios manipulates things such as weather, other drivers, road conditions and more.

“On the simulator, we do a variety of things. I force them to crash, I give scenarios where they have to do emergency maneuvers, I give them bad weather. I put them in difficult situations because our focus is decision making and mental readiness. Driving is 85 percent mental,” he said.

Scenarios include suburban, metropolitan and highway driving, with plenty of surprise elements to keep the students engaged. Careless drivers can jump into the roadway, forcing students to take evasive action. Tire blowouts test their ability to control the vehicle and move it safely to the side of the road. Downpours limit visibility, testing the drivers’ speed control and reaction times.

Student Kyle Ramseur, who is looking to get his license in preparation for college, said that getting a turn on the simulator augments the standard lessons.

“It’s pretty good, and it’s teaching me a lot about how driving is all in my head. Lecturing is just talking. Showing it is easier to understand,” he said.

One of the focal points is the Next Immediate Problem, that is the issue that will affect you soonest on the road. Learning to pay attention to the Next Immediate Problem is the key to safety, allowing drivers to tackle one issue at a time.

“It helps with anticipating things that are going to happen, and using my better judgment in adverse conditions,” student Makenna Copeland said. “Driving is a lot more mental than you expect it to be.”

If a student happens to make a mistake, Milios can rewind the scenario, walk them through it, and review their approach to see their errors and improve their technique.

Milios is a firm believer in the program, which two out of his three children have participated in. Practice makes perfect when it comes to safe driving, and providing a place to hone those skills makes all the difference for the young drivers.

“I see a big improvement from the time they come in to the time they leave,” Milios said. “I get the impression that a majority of them buy into it.”