Michael Wayne Templeton releases definitive guide in "Right Turn"

Author provides roadmap for the parents on driver education, training of tweens, teens.

21st Century Driver Education and Training – Over four million teens learn to drive every year in the United States. Collisions, crashes and “accidents” result in thousands of deaths and hundreds of thousands of injuries each year. However, a 4000-pound vehicle does not know if you are 16 or 60.

The deaths of the author’s biological father, a favored cousin and the best man at his wedding, each could and should have been prevented. These tragic events and many others led Michael Wayne Templeton to write and publish “Right Turn”

The book includes many nuanced details about the science of providing quality Driver Education, and training for the 21st Century. In addition, what makes Templeton’s book different than any other driver education and training book in North America is its bonus chapters. The 10th chapter details college age students battling a very sophisticated ‘Cyclops’ driving simulator. The 11th chapter tackles mature senior driving and provides a roadmap for a ‘tune-up’ for them or any other adult that requires it. The 12th chapter includes very specific and provocative recommendations for driver education and licensing oversight for the National Highway Traffic Safety Association for the remainder of the 21st century.

Following is an excerpt from the foreword of Right Turn, written by a professional instructor the author had personally trained:

While many books have been developed about driver education, driver training or both, virtually none of them includes specific guidance about how to train another instructor, how to improve the driving of an adult, or how to train a student driver in a training car. This clearly was and is not the intent of most driver education and training textbooks. This is where my friend, fellow driving instructor professional and now, author, excels.

About the Author

Michael Wayne Templeton is a Vietnam veteran with an Army Commendation Medal. After he returned from Vietnam, he served as a United States Army Avionics instructor for a year. He was also a Digital Logics instructor for the Marine Corps.

For the next 29 years he was employed by the Federal Aviation Administration as a Professional Airway Systems Specialist. During his FAA career he became an FAA Academy instructor, training manager, supervisor and team lead. At FAA HQ, he served as the first Field Instructor Team Lead for 23 Standard Terminal Automation Radar System (STARS) instructors.

After retiring from the FAA, he attended seven different driver education and training schools while serving as an owner and Chief Operations Officer of The Coastal Academy for Driver Education Training and Safety (CADETS).

What people say?

Cars do not crash alone; people take part in them. In fact, most vehicle accidents account for young drivers. There is no magic formula to prepare oneself for the responsibilities of driving. But there is a set of must-do to turn safe driving skills into good habits. And to address safety traffic involving teenagers, Templeton’s “Right Turn” is here to help you. Driving in the 21st century could be a horrible thought for parents, especially when texting in between comes to mind. Driver’s distractions are a primary cause of crashes. When it comes to driving, multitasking is a myth, your brain can’t do it at the same time. Switching from one task to another divides your attention. So, you must take into account a plethora of statistics that prove thousands of teenagers reported car accidents in their first year. Thus, limit your distractions by pulling off from the road when you need to immediately attend to another activity. This is just one of the many issues discussed in the book. And just by this alone, I conclude that this is definitely a treat to get driving advice from the author. He looks at the problem and then goes on to explain what the practical tips are to avoid such things. I think this would be a great refresher guide to read if you’re getting ready to ride on the road.
Anthony Hendrix
If you expect driving as easy as playing car games on your PS5, then you’re totally wrong. It requires one to go through a series of step-by-step procedures. So, take your time and do not rush the process. Trust it and you’ll get to your destination. Start by reading educational books; then apply them to your frequent hands-on practice; when you’re ready, execute on the road what you’ve practiced. With the help of Templeton’s Right Turn, you’ll never have to go through the struggle of gathering information. Because all that you need, from registration to rules and regulations are here. The quality of its content is very good and they are the ideal accompaniment when learning how to drive. You’ll be able to understand technical terms from getting to station A to B. While the activities prepared in the appendices will help you make sure that you know how to execute all maneuvers and that you’re ready, thus, easing your nerves. What an excellent read! I find this useful to sort of have my own driving course for the kids. All the very best to everyone in the midst of learning. Two essential points that I’ve learned in this book are: first, bear in mind that you’re not alone on the road, whatever your actions may be could have consequences for other road users; secondly, be safe and always keep safe.
Jack White
This book was so incredible and it gave me so much hope. Most driving literature centers on how guardians must instruct youngsters to drive, without clarifying why adolescents’ driving is so perilous, to begin with, or giving them a plan to preempt the dangers youngsters might confront. In contrast, Right Turn is on the other side of the coin, it guides parents to understand the causes and circumstances that most frequently lead to youthful road accidents. Templeton lays down proactive steps and requires one to follow this before and each time they get behind the wheel. This scholarly guideline also tackles issues such as illegal drunk driving, distracting activities, parenting attitudes, and transportation maneuver—including a combination of topics not found in other driving books. Being a parent of a young driver may put a never-ending strain on your shoulders. Templeton’s well-researched book shows that teenagers who drive are more on the dangerous spectrum– from neurological, formative, social, and other fields– than most of us realize. Well, do not just worry, get educated and learn how to assist your kid to become a safer driver. It tells you, clearly and concisely, the steps you'll need to take to keep your kid safe. This was a joy to read from cover to cover. Exceedingly recommended!
Easton Rogers
Author Michael Wayne Templeton believes that parents have no choice but to teach their kids how to drive. We want them to learn from experienced individuals. And if you’re a mom like me who doesn’t know where to start, this might be your home run. The writer takes parents, teens, and tweens safely from the empty parking lot to a crowded highway through his 200+ pages of education program with the use of skill-building exercises and instructive illustrations. My biggest takeaway from this book is that children tend to adapt to their parent’s practices. When they were younger, your role was to lay the foundations for their behavior. Thus, what you do shows your child how you want them to behave. We’ve been on the road with them, a ride to a grocery store or long road trips are enough for them to observe how you drive. You may not be aware of it but they are picking up signals from watching you. So, if you want them to behave morally and ethically on the highway, be a decent driver first. As Templeton put it, “In order to be effective and credible to your teen, you must not only know more than your teen knows, but you should be able to demonstrate that you know more than your teen knows.”
Michael Scott
“No, I’m not going to give up on him” Okay, enough with the technicalities and practical tips of driving. I bet others have mentioned it in their reviews already. At first, it feels like this book is going to be entirely about what to do and what not to do. But the most poignant thing about this is that it's written by a man who was pushed to open his own driver’s education business after pulling off the difficult task of getting his client with ADD able to drive a car. It is the look on his face that moved him and inspired him to help more teenagers like Albert. I think it's commendable that the author has made it his mission to help prevent tragedies. Equipped with the information from this book, I know I will be more vigilant on the highways, reminding myself to be more proactive and to never prioritize convenience over security. Completely absorbing. Intricate prose. This book strikes a fantastic balance between addressing the problem and laying all the significant and essential points. Hence, giving an exceptionally proficient and compelling take on the subject. It is well composed and peruses exceptionally easily. Everybody who has or will have an adolescent driver they cherish should purchase, read, share, and talk about this book.
Theo Stewart
Driving is one of the most dangerous things on the planet earth that each of us does on a daily basis, and yet, an average learner who takes driving lessons receives training less than a Starbucks barista does. However, worry no more, because in this inspirational, instructive, and highly entertaining book, Michael Wayne Templeton would fill in the gap that schools fail to give us. From the perfect program for your children to issues needed to be addressed, law, and practical advice in furthering one’s skill– all of it are a whole package. In the process, you will not only learn how to drive safer, but be more economical, and look at driving a lot more enjoyable. Another thing that I loved about this is that it goes with a good amount of illustrations which makes it more vivid. Packed with driving anecdotes, humor, and wisdom, this is the best choice for anyone who wants to be better at something they are getting themselves into for the first time, including those who do it every day of their life. The world population who are equipped with vehicles continuously increases by billions every year. Hence, let’s make sure their owners understand how to use them.
George Smith

Active readers of the Goodreads platform posted the book review below. Their feedback is an excellent overview for anyone who wants an idea of what's inside the book entitled "Right Turn."

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