By: Motorsport Safety Foundation
May 16 2017 

The Motorsport Safety Foundation (MSF) today announces the creation of a groundbreaking new High Performance Driver Education (HPDE) instructor certification program, which provides a level of safety and accountability that the industry has been asking for. HPDE has never had a singular, industry-wide minimum standard, and critically needed an organization to help bring together best practices. For this reason and in collaboration with a number of instructors, drivers and organizations from the industry, the Motorsport Safety Academy HPDE credential program was formed.

The Motorsport Safety Academy has set two targets and purposes:

Individual High Performance Instructors: Establish and set national standards for the selection and training of high performance driving instructors.

Organizations Running High Performance Driver Education Schools: Establish and set minimum standards for the curriculum and operation of its training programs.

Both targets support MSF’s overall mission of defining standards for operations of HPDE schools and instructor training programs to provide a safer and better quality experience for performance driving students.

“So many industries require strict certification to ensure high quality and safety, but this is something that has not been fully defined in the HPDE space,” says Scot Elkins, Chief Operating Officer of the Motorsport Safety Foundation. “With the creation of this certification program, students and instructors alike will have confidence and know that the program they’re attending places an emphasis on safety and a high level of quality.”

Certification consists of six levels, from an online training program (Level 1) to certification for remote instruction using data acquisition and video (Level 6).

After completion of Level 1’s online certification, candidates then must successfully complete a hands-on Certified Instructor Training Program conducted by a certified organization to gain a Level 2 certification, which allows the candidate to begin in-car instruction with students on track. From Level 3, a candidate can become certified for additional skills that pertain to HPDE instruction.

It should also be noted that the standards as initially set out are meant to be the minimum, and will be adjusted over time with further input and feedback from the industry.

Annual dues for the Level 1 Certified HPDE credentials is $50, and includes a hard card, unique helmet stickers and listing in a national database of certified instructors provided by MotorsportReg.com, the premier online registration system for HPDE events.

Those that have been instructing for years, can be “grandfathered” in, though completing Level 1 certification is recommended to become accustomed to the language, definitions, and approaches that the Motorsport Safety Foundation has created.

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