One of the most exciting new venues to open in the Atlanta area is Tiny Towne, a family-oriented, high-tech, indoor, kid-sized town where kids can actually drive. Their vision is inspiring a generation of safer drivers through their innovative concept of driving safety education through entertainment, called “edu-tainment”. This concept is patented and Norcross was chosen for the first USA location!
Everyone can drive at Tiny Towne! From toddlers in car-shaped kiddie rides to teens on the advanced Tiny Towne Traffic Track, they have activities to meet the needs of every age group and level of experience.
Tiny Drivers, age 1-3 can learn basic skills, such as holding on to the steering wheel and pressing the gas pedal in the kiddie rides that tilt and move up-and-down and side-to-side with the wheel but are not freely moving. These rides are fun, interactive and educational. They can also ride on the mini-train around town.
Beginner Drivers, ages 3-6, can drive a freely moving vehicle on the Tiny Track, which is surrounded by a fence to ensure the kids’ safety. On this track, drivers learn to always wear seat belts, to avoid crashing into stationary objects or other cars, and to keep hands on the steering wheel.
At age six, drivers graduate to Booster Cars on the Tiny Track. Intermediate drivers drive in a controlled one-way direction on a two-lane street, learning to stay in their lanes, understand the basics of road markings, and respect other drivers.
Ages 9 & up: Senior Drivers
To be promoted to a Senior Driver and get access to the advanced Traffic Track, drivers must be at least 9 years old, 57″ tall, and pass a simulator test with conditions that include bright sunlight, rain, snow, city and highway roads and night driving. They also must answer all the Traffic Test 101 questions correctly – a requirement more rigorous than the written portion of the DMV’s licensing process! At the completion of the tests, drivers will receive access to the Tiny Towne Smart Cars used on the advanced track.
The advanced Traffic Track for senior drivers consists of road signs, two-way streets, and cops who will ensure that drivers are practicing the safety rules and guidelines they learned in the classroom. Senior drivers will have a real-life driving experience and will be required to follow all the traffic laws (road markings, road signs, and traffic signals).
Those who put in 30 minutes of safe driving on the Traffic Track can drive their Tiny Towne Smart Cars at higher speeds. (The Smart Cars automatically adjust the maximum speed for each driver.)
On the other hand, safety violations have the opposite effect. Some violations may result in slower driving speeds, while others may result in the driver being suspended from the track until further simulator tests are completed, in order to continue practicing more basic requirements and ensure the highest level of safety on Tiny Towne roads.
Tiny Towne police officers patrol the town and hand out traffic ‘tickets’ through a wireless application on their devices. Tickets are not fines, but rather opportunities for learning. When a police officer pulls over a driver who violates a traffic law or safety guideline, the police officer will teach the driver an interesting fact about the violation that took place in order to help the driver understand the severity or consequences of that type of violation.
Additionally, every traffic violation is worth a number of points and will go on the driver’s record to help us track our drivers’ progress and performance on the track. Also violators’ cars are disabled for various minutes depending on the severity of the violation.
For example, a seat belt violation is worth three points, while running a stop sign is a five-point violation and a one minute “time-out”. Texting while driving (TWD) is worth 25 points and leads to the automatic suspension of the driver’s permit. In order to reactivate their permits, drivers are required to come to Tiny Towne court and face a judge, whose decision will determine if the drivers deserve another chance.
While all of these levels just seem like fun for the drivers, the goal is to inspire and educate a generation of safer drivers! This is especially true for the senior driver level. With cut backs in the schools for drivers education, this course provides a solid education on driving safety for teens before applying for their learners license.
In addition to two different level tracks, the center has a large arcade room, party rooms for group events, a restaurant (see menu HERE), a classroom to host field trips, a computer lab equipped with 30 touch screen computers and simulators, and various waiting areas for parents.
Admission is free, but activities costs range from 50 cents (for arcade games) to $15 for driving on the advanced track (beginner track is $5). For a limited time, get a $20 voucher at tinytowne.com toward activities on your first visit.
Tiny Towne is located at 2055 Beaver Ruin Rd., Norcross. Their hours are 10am until 10pm daily. For more information, call them at 404-846-9869 or visit their website at www.tinytowne.com. Check their Weekly Specials HERE and on their FACEBOOK page.
Admission is free, but activities costs range from 50 cents (for arcade games) to $15 for driving on the advanced track (beginner track is $5). For a limited time, get a $20 voucher at tinytowne.com toward activities on your first visit.
Tiny Towne is located at 2055 Beaver Ruin Rd., Norcross. Their hours are 10am until 10pm daily. For more information, call them at 404-846-9869 or visit their website at www.tinytowne.com. Check their Weekly Specials HERE and on their FACEBOOK page.
