the overall average for all ages, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. As expected, these same inexperienced drivers are 2.1 times more likely to receive a traffic citation.

Their parents aren't much better. Drive any highway for half an hour and count the number of traffic violations you see. People with jobs and responsibilities and pricey cars and years of experience driving pull some of the stupidest moves when behind the wheel. Lane changes without signaling, not staying to the right on highways, and accelerating for yellow lights are tame compared to passing without the proper right of way, tailgating, speeding on poor road conditions, and texting while driving. Most drivers know these things are wrong, and many drivers continue to do them.

Hence my decision to choose SCCA Solo II (also known as "autocross") events to learn more about what makes a good driver, and what makes a poor one. I figured the folks who race their cars on the weekends should, in theory, know how to drive both well and properly during the week.

The Sports Car Club of America, or SCCA, organizes a number of events on the regional and national stage. In the Philadelphia region, the well-oiled machine that is the local SCCA club puts on some fantastic events. And the summer season starts out with a warm-up at the Warminster Community Park.

An old airport, the Warminster Park allows SCCA to rent this strip of asphalt about once a month through the summer. As the season prepares to open, a "Test and Tune"