The Toyota Canada Inc. supported kartSTART (www.kartSTART.ca) program will return this year (its fourth) in more Canadian cities and with a key endorsement from Canada’s National Sporting Authority, ASN Canada FIA – the governing authority of amateur and professional motorsport in Canada.

The unique young driver safety program will feature three new cities: Edmonton, Saskatoon and London, in addition to existing program stops in Chilliwack, Toronto, Montreal and Moncton.

“This will be the fourth year of our program and we continue to grow and give Canadian youth the unique opportunity to learn to drive in a safe, controlled environment in vehicles that fit them – go karts,” kartSTART’s Russ Bond said. “It is also a milestone year in that we have become the only driver education program in Canada to be endorsed by ASN Canada FIA.”

ASN Canada FIA believes kartSTART’s “Safety through Education” serves as an important tool in helping prepare young Canadians to become safe drivers.

“It’s never too early to learn,” says Bond. “The difference here is we give them vehicles to learn in that fit them – go karts.”

“Everything that can happen in a car, can happen in a go-kart,” he says. “We want the kids to experience the physics behind driving a vehicle. What happens if you step on the brake too hard? What happens if you turn too quick? All these questions get answered in a safe, controlled manner.”

Once the karting sessions are done, we also have an experience for the whole family. The families that attend the kartSTART program are mentored in the latest safety developments in road cars. kartSTART exclusively uses Toyota vehicles to demonstrate the their safety systems. This gives the entire family a better understanding of how to make the most out of the STAR safety systems available in Toyota passenger vehicles.

“The kartSTART program demonstrates how vehicle safety can be made an educational and fun experience for the entire family,” said Sandy Di Felice, Director, Toyota Canada Inc. “Families enjoy safe driving designed around a half-day course, and a review of the six Star Safety System features found in every Toyota vehicle.”

All summer tour dates for the 2014 program are now available for participants to register online on the bilingual kartSTART website.

2014 Schedule
July 7-10 – Chilliwack, BC – Greg Moore Raceway
July 15-17 – Nisku, AB – Castrol Raceway
July 21-23 – Saskatoon, SK – Martensville Speedway
July 28-30 – Delaware, ON – Delaware Speedway
August 4-7 – Innisfil, ON – Sunset Speedway
August 11-14 – Saint Eustache, QC – Autodrome St-Eustache
August 17-20 – Dieppe, NB – Champlain Motorsports Park

Reserve your spot at a location near you! PRN Ignition readers can get $20 off by using the following code (PRN) at the time of registration.

For more information, visit www.kartSTART.ca.

Photos by: Jordan Lenssen