Oct 23, 2012 3 min read

McMURRAY – Kristina Skraitz says she is a very good driver, and she should be, as she, along with her father, run the Drive To Stay Alive program to help young drivers learn more about the ins and outs of driving.Her father, McMurray chiropractor Timothy Skraitz, developed the program following a 2007 crash symposium he attended at the San Diego Spine and Research Institute.Timothy Skraitz credits the symposium and the information he obtained as it “served as a springboard to get the Drive To Stay Alive Program started.” He also solicited the help of the Peters Township Police Department, Officer Dave Stanton and police Chief Harry Fruecht.”The program was founded on the premise that we believe the possible level of instruction and in-car experience that could possibly save serious injuries or death, if they could learn some of the techniques and apply them in certain situations,” Fruecht said. He said turnout continues to grow, along with support from parents.”The whole thing has proven itself and parents believe in the program in hopes of protecting their kids,” Fruecht said. The program, initially, was held in Peters Township High School, but expanded to Consol Energy Park in North Franklin Township in 2011 as the number of participants grew, Kristina Skraitz said.This year, the program will be held Saturday at Consol Energy Park. More than 100 students are signed up from area school districts and additional registrations will be accepted online until Friday, Kristina Skraitz said. To register, visit www.drivetostayaliveinc.com. The program is free to those ages 16 to 18 and any high school student in Washington and Allegheny counties is eligible.Kristina Skraitz said two of the participants this year are from Houston, Texas.”The parents heard about the program and they said they would be bringing two children up for it,” Kristina Skraitz said.The program begins with a 20-minute classroom session taught by a defensive driving instructor. Next, there is a drive-around on a prearranged course in the parking lot of the baseball stadium. Students have a hand-on experience that includes slalom and a steering course, braking skids and a recovery area. Following the 30-minute driving session, students return for additional classroom instruction, followed by another drive around the course.”This is not required by any school district, but many districts are cutting back on driver training courses and this is another venue to get kids experience,” Kristina Skraitz said.