Safety Training

Defensive Driving

A private, 1:1 day of vehicle dynamics, adaptive driving, and advanced car control. The safety-first introduction to high-speed driving, taught in your own car at Buttonwillow.

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Starting at $2,495 private, 1:1 at Buttonwillow Raceway Park

A safe introduction to high-speed driving

At FastLane, safety is our number one priority, and our Defensive Driving course is the perfect introduction to safe, high-speed track driving. It covers Vehicle Dynamics, Adaptive Driving, and Advanced Car Control, and it is mandatory for drivers who are new to FastLane or do not yet have proven track experience.

It is a private, 1:1 day, roughly 9am to 4pm with an hour for lunch, built entirely around you. You spend it in classroom discussion, safety instruction, and in-seat coaching in your own vehicle with an experienced instructor who demonstrates, coaches you through every exercise, and rides along to give you hands-on guidance.

Coaching from professional racers

Defensive Driving is taught by the same professional racing coaches who train our licensed and high-performance drivers. The fundamentals are the ones we teach on the race track, vision, braking, weight transfer, and car control, focused here on the situations you face on the road every day.

That makes the day a fit for a wide range of drivers: new and younger drivers building real confidence behind the wheel, experienced drivers who want to sharpen their reactions, and companies looking to reduce risk and improve safety across a fleet. Whatever you drive, you will leave more in control of it.

What you will learn

Over the day you will build real, transferable car-control skills: skid control, wet-weather handling, ABS braking, braking-distance demonstrations, and emergency stop maneuvers. Our exercises also prepare you for the situations that matter most on the road, from crash avoidance and rollover prevention to managing distracted driving and sharpening your vision and depth perception.

Vehicle Dynamics: basic vehicle operation, vision and braking exercises, and understanding weight transfer
Adaptive Driving: vehicle control and dynamics on different surfaces (dry, wet, gravel, and more)
Advanced Car Control: evasive maneuvers, autocross exercises, lane changes, and advanced backing technique

Who is eligible

Anyone with at least three months of driving experience who holds a state-issued learner's permit or license is eligible to participate. You use your own car for this course. Our goal is not just to make you a better driver, but to make you more comfortable and confident in the vehicle you drive every day.

Defensive Driving courses are currently held at Buttonwillow Raceway Park. Spots fill quickly, so check the schedule and reserve early.

Levels and group options

Level 1: learn the ins and outs of your vehicle the fun way. Better to clip a cone here than meet a hazard unprepared on the road.
Level 2: already completed Level 1? Come back for a second day of more advanced techniques.
Corporate and fleet: bring your team and train together. We tailor a private DDA day mixing Level 1, Level 2, EVOC, and high-performance training to your group's needs.

A day of hands-on car control

What your day looks like

A full day, roughly 9 to 4, that pairs short classroom segments with a lot of behind-the-wheel practice in your own car. You move through three blocks, each building on the last, with an instructor coaching, demonstrating, and riding along.

1

Vehicle dynamics

Seating and mirrors, vision and looking ahead, braking, and how weight transfer changes the way your car responds. The foundation everything else builds on.
2

Adaptive driving

Car control and recovery on different surfaces, from dry to wet, plus skid-pad work so a slide becomes something you can feel and correct, not fear.
3

Advanced car control

The skills that matter in an emergency: evasive maneuvers, emergency lane changes, threshold braking, and controlled backing, practiced until they are second nature.