Real-Life Tactical Driving Course
Police officers are required to complete intensive driver training known as EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operations Course). As a certified EVOC instructor, I’ve developed this three-hour course as a modified version of that same professional training—specifically adapted for new and experienced drivers. Conducted in a safe, controlled environment, students will be trained in nine essential driving techniques under the guidance of experienced law enforcement instructors.
To conclude the course, each student will take their instructor on a supervised drive through public roads, where they’ll be introduced to Proactive Tactical Driving. This final segment bridges the gap between training and real-world application, giving students the opportunity to put their newly learned skills into practice. Instructors will guide them through safely approaching intersections using proactive scanning techniques to identify potential threats. The drive then progresses to the interstate, where students will learn safe merging strategies and how to identify and respond to high-risk situations—such as impaired drivers, unsecured loads, or erratic behavior from other motorists—while maintaining confidence and control at highway speeds.
Upon successful completion of the Real-Life Tactical Driving Course, students will receive a certificate of completion. Many insurance providers offer discounts—typically ranging from 4% to 10%—for defensive driving courses like ours. We encourage you to contact your insurance carrier directly, as discount eligibility and rates vary and cannot be guaranteed by us.
To ensure our training is as effective and beneficial as possible, all participants must have adequate driving experience. As such, we require students to hold a valid driver’s license before their class date or have 30-40 hours of driving experience.
Check Out These Videos
Watch as a student navigates our serpentine and emergency lane change exercise, building her confidence, spatial awareness, steering precision and emergency decision making.
Watch as a student gains confidence in our Brake Right, Brake Left exercise while making a split-second decision. She remains calm and maintains great control of the vehicle.
What They’re Saying
“The instructors were patient, informative, understanding, and encouraging. They explained the reasons behind the exercises, and let the students work at their own paces while still pushing them beyond their comfort zones. My daughter left feeling equipped and prepared for potentially dangerous driving situations in the future. I would highly recommend them.”
“This course was not only educational, it was also enjoyable. I would highly recommend the tactical driving course for anyone who has their license but is a bit uncomfortable in their car still. Personally I feel much more in control after this, from slamming on my brakes to quick lane changes, this course gave me some more confidence to the right thing in a bad scenario.”
“This course was fun, educational, challenging, and useful! The instructors were easy-going and knowledgeable. My daughter loved it!”
“10-81 Driving Academy goes way beyond your typical driving school. Shane and Jackson taught my daughter real world emergency driving skills in a safe, fun environment that not only made her a better driver, but could also save her life. Shane also volunteered to help the students properly parallel park on his own time after the class was over. These guys are the real deal. Highly recommended.”
“These guys were excellent, very patient, and quite informative. I learned a lot about accident prevention, driving defensively, gained confidence and had fun. I would highly recommend to anyone who wants to feel safer on the road.”
“Super informative and fun time. Shane and Jackson really do a great job to instruct and correct while maintaining a fun and relaxed environment. I left a much more controlled driver after taking the course.”
“As a mom one of the hardest things I’ve come across yet is watching my 16 year old drive away for the first time. After a year of practicing driving I still worried about what would happen if he came across the unexpected things that happen on the roads. This class was amazing at teaching my son how to handle the unexpected situations that even experienced drivers don’t always know how to handle. I’ll still worry, but I feel a bit more peace knowing he’s had some experience with this side of driving. Thank you to Shane for putting on such an invaluable course!”
Our curriculum consists of nine different exercises. Each student will be thoroughly trained in all nine during the course and will be taught how they translate to Real-Life.
Emergency Lane Change
This exercise trains students to quickly and safely steer around sudden obstacles without losing control of the vehicle. These drills build quick reaction skills and improve steering precision. The Emergency Lane Change can prevent accidents by preparing students to avoid hazards like stalled vehicles, debris, or unexpected halts in traffic.
Serpentine
The serpentine is crucial to effectively teach vehicle handling and weight transfer. The student will negotiate a serpentine through a set of cones which develops their abilities for precise steering control, smooth vehicle handling, and better spatial awareness. By weaving through a series of cones, students learn how to make controlled turns and maintain proper speed and awareness. In Real-Life these skills are valuable for maneuvering around unexpected obstacles, tight spaces, or sharp turns safely and confidently, reducing the risk of collisions.
Straight Line Braking
Braking in a straight line is the quickest way to bring your vehicle to a stop. In this exercise, students will rapidly increase in speed while driving at a target. The student will then forcibly apply the brake while keeping the wheel straight. Training in this area will equip the student with the ability to stop safely and effectively without losing control. This exercise will be completed multiple times, starting at 25 mph and increasing to 45 mph. Students will be able to identify the stopping distance based on the speed they are going when they applied the brakes. We will also discuss the importance of the speed limit and how different roads are designed for cars to travel only certain speeds.
Brake Right, Brake Left
As we all know, sometimes braking just isn’t enough. Much like the Straight Line Braking exercise, this one will include rapidly getting up to a high rate of speed, forcibly applying the brake while keeping the wheel straight and making a split-second left or right maneuver based on the instructors last-second “Brake Right, or Brake Left” command. This exercise prepares students for when a vehicle pulls out in front of them while they are proceeding through an intersection with a green light. We will discuss the importance of scanning intersections as you approach them and identifying potential threats.
U-Turn
The U-Turn exercise helps students practice making safe, controlled turns in limited spaces while being aware of their surroundings. This exercise improves judgment of space, steering accuracy, and timing. In Real-Life, a skilled U-turn is useful for avoiding hazards, changing routes safely, and staying calm and in control when needing to reverse direction in traffic or emergency situations.
Threshold Braking
Not every braking emergency requires all of our force applied to the brake. In fact, there are situations where we need to brake quickly, but too quickly would force the vehicle behind you to collide with the rear of your vehicle. Threshold Braking is braking as hard as you can without activating your Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS). Students will drive at varying rates of speed into a “chute” and will quickly apply their brake while maintaining control over their vehicle. Students will feel the difference in braking with and without their ABS activated.
Rear-End Avoidance Maneuver (REAM)
This exercise consists of starting from a stopped position. The instructor will advise the student of a simulated vehicle approaching them from behind at a high rate of speed. Students will then make an abrupt lane change to avoid being struck. This simulates being stopped at a red light with a distracted driver quickly approaching from behind. We will discuss the importance of situational awareness while stopped at an intersection.
Reverse Driving
Students will drive in reverse through different parts of the course. This exercise improves a driver's ability to judge distance, use mirrors effectively, and maintain control while moving in reverse.
Proactive Tactical Driving
To conclude the course, each student will take their instructor on a supervised drive through public roads, where they’ll be introduced to Proactive Tactical Driving. This final segment bridges the gap between training and real-world application, giving students the opportunity to put their newly learned skills into practice. Instructors will guide them through safely approaching intersections using proactive scanning techniques to identify potential hazards. The drive then progresses to the interstate, where students will learn safe merging strategies and how to identify and respond to high-risk situations—such as impaired drivers, unsecured loads, or erratic behavior from other motorists—while maintaining confidence and control at highway speeds.
In addition to the nine exercises, students receive real, practical training in the following areas:
Vehicle dynamics and weight transfer
Vehicle handling
Split-second decision making
Confidence
Managing stress while driving
Avoiding tunnel vision
Navigating adrenaline and the effects it has on decision making
Space management of your vehicle
Enrollment Information
The enrollment fee for the student is $250. If you are interested in enrolling an additional student, please contact us at 1081drivingacademy@gmail.com and we will respond back with a multi-student discount code.
Please see below for our course schedule:
We are currently partnering with Maple Woods Community College and our trainings are being held on their parking lot.
They are conveniently located at 2601 NE Barry Rd, Kansas City, MO 64156