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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, December 5, 2012 · 22 Tim Danter on Discovery's Canada's Worst Driver these drivers and working through their issues to help them. It's not made up. It's real life," the 47-year-old said. "When they are ready to graduate from Lifelong Oakville resident Tim Danter is on the current season of Canada's Worst the rehabilitation centre, then they graduDriver. But, it isn't because he's a poor driv- ate. This is the purpose of putting them through some training and some challenges er. In fact, he's quite good and has been help- and seeing how they develop themselves ing new drivers learn the skills they need for through the whole process and helping them every step of the the road for the past 25 way to become better years as a driving instruc- "Hope takes many forms in drivers." tor. life and it may be that you Danter applied to get Now, the DriveWise of do progress to being back on on the show after seeing Oakville owner has taken the road, and then there's an invitation for it from his instructional skills to the DriveWise head office help steer some of Canada's the hope that where there is to its members. He was worst drivers in the right no hope, you get off the road selected as the head drivdirection when they get and understand that." ing instructor and a behind the wheel on the panel judge for the cureighth season of the reality Tim Danter, head instructor rent season, alongside TV show that airs on the Canada's Worst Driver experts Cam Woolley, Discovery Channel. Though the show is entertaining and may Philippe Letourneau and Shymala Kiru. The first episode aired on Oct. 29. The provide some laughs for its viewers, Danter show features eight drivers, nominated by said there is a purpose behind it. "There's a real purpose behind taking friends and family, who are put through the By Dominik Kurek OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Artscene submitted photo behind the wheel: Oakville driving instructor Tim Danter is pictured here on the set of Canada's Worst Driver, which is currently running on the Discovery Channel. paces at the Driver Rehabilitation Centre in Dunnville, Ont. The show was filmed this summer. Danter helps prepare the participants for challenges by training them and teaching them the correct way of doing the challenge and informing them why it should be done in a certain way. Unlike some other reality TV shows, in Canada's Worst Driver, the participants vie to be let off the show, not to stay in, as the person who stays the longest is named the worst driver. "When you graduate from the show, it's a good thing because you got it. You got what rehab was all about and that was to rehabilitate you through the process," Danter said. However, he says the show isn't about singling out the worst driver. Instead, it's to help poor drivers become capable ones. "The purpose of the experts and the purpose of the show is to rehabilitate these people and to give them the tools and skills necessary to help them improve and make them better on the roadways, physically and mentally," he said. But can everyone actually improve? "There's hope for everyone and sometimes that hope comes in the form of: `I shouldn't be driving,'" he said. "Hope takes many forms in life and it may be that you do progress to being back on the road, and then there's the hope that where there is no hope, you get off the road and understand that." For drivers like that, he does have some advice. He said they should consider not driving or to take some serious driver training before they get behind the wheel. There are positive moments on the show, which Danter remembers most. "The moments we like to see is when the participants get it and they say, `I got it. I understand this now.' It's just the satisfaction that we've done our job," he said. Viewers watching the show may wonder how the participants managed to get their licenses in the first place. Danter says there are a few reasons for it, mostly to do with the Canadian testing system. He said the system is not consistent across the country, giving some drivers an edge when they get tested. Furthermore, testing in Canada is not an intense determination of driver competence as it is in other parts of the world. And lastly, wannabe drivers get a limitless number of attempts to get their licences. "Sometimes people can take their tests from passing it the first time to eight, nine, 10, 11 attempts before they pass. If they are going to that same test centre, driving the same test route, what do you think is going to happen on their 10th or 11th try?" he asked. "It's like the mouse on the wheel. They're programmed to spin that wheel. But that's not real life driving." Danter also tweets while each episode airs. He can be followed on Twitter at @ CanWorstDriver or with the hashtag #CWD8. The show airs Mondays at 10 p.m. The season finale airs on Dec. 17. Dominik Kurek can be reached at dkurek@oakvillebeaver.com or followed on Twitter at @DominikKurek. 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