Triad Driving Academy

Our program was developed by police officers & firefighters who collectively have close to 100 years of dedicated public safety experience and over 80 years of experience teaching traffic safety, teen programs, and driver's education courses. They have instructed for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Executive Office Of Public Safety & Security; Highway Safety Division, local police and fire departments, EMS facilities and in other corporate settings.

Choose Triad and rest assured that you will receive the best driver's education experience available on the Northshore. 

Ross Panacopoulos

Ross has 30 years of Law Enforcement experience starting in 1977 when he joined the United States Air Force and served for four years as a Law Enforcement Specialist in the UK and the USA. Ross obtained the rank of Sergeant prior to being honorably discharged in 1981. In July of 1982, Ross worked as a Police Officer for the Town of Conway, NH where he served until his acceptance into the Massachusetts State Police Academy in December of 1982. Upon graduation, he was assigned to the Division of Field Services.

In 1986 Ross completed training in the field of Accident Reconstruction and was assigned to the Collision, Analysis and Reconstruction Section. In 1998 Ross achieved certification with the Accreditation Commission for Traffic Accident Reconstruction (ACTAR #299). He continued taking numerous training courses in the field of Accident Investigation and Occupant Protection. To date, Ross has completed over 1000 hours of specialized training in these fields and has investigated and reconstructed over 750 crashes. In 2001 he was assigned to the Traffic Programs section where he was able to spend more time doing what he liked best, instructing. Ross has developed and instructed numerous training programs throughout New England. He is a certified instructor for the Massachusetts State Police, Commonwealth of MA Municipal Police Training Committee, Commonwealth of MA Governor's Highway Safety Bureau, Commonwealth of MA Registry of Motor Vehicles, Triad Traffic Technology Inc., Triad Driving Academy, SRR Training, Safe Kids Worldwide, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Traffic Occupancy Protection Strategies (T.O.P.S.). He also serves as the state-wide coordinator for Crash Investigation courses with the Municipal Police Training Committee for recruit and veteran police officers.

Ross retired after 26 years of dedicated service to the Massachusetts State Police where he achieved the rank of Sergeant. 

Richard Eubanks

Richard is a retired Massachusetts State Police Sergeant. The majority of his career was dedicated to making the roads of the Commonwealth safer. He began as all Troopers do, patrolling the highways, enforcing motor vehicle laws and investigating crashes. As his career progressed he was assigned to a specialized team that targeted dangerous drivers while continuing his desire for safer roads by taking educational courses and becoming a Child Passenger Safety technician.

After being promoted to the rank of Sergeant his duties included shift commander and Troop Commander of an Asset Forfeiture Unit.

After the State Police developed a unique unit called the 3D Team, Sgt. Eubanks was assigned as the supervisor in charge of the team. This group of officers drove unmarked cruisers equipped with the latest technology and targeted drunk, drugged and dangerous drivers. A District Court Judge recognized the success of the 3D team but wanted to take it a step further and educate these aggressive drivers. As no such programs were in place Sgt. Eubanks developed and taught a program which would be called the State Courts Against Road Rage program. The SCARR program was quickly adopted by the court and soon spread to numerous courts across the state.

In 2006, the MA Legislature passed a tougher Junior Operator law which was geared toward new young drivers. The SCARR program became a requirement for all Junior Operators who were convicted of certain motor vehicle violations. In 2007, after being nominated by the MA Registrar of Motor Vehicles, Sgt. Eubanks received the Martha Irwin Distinguished Service Safety Award from the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators for the success of the SCARR Program. This resulted in invitations to present the program to other law enforcement agencies in MA as well as other venues around the country. Many agencies and court jurisdictions across the country adopted versions of this program for their offenders.

The number of drivers assigned to the SCARR program soon overwhelmed the State Police and the decision was made to privatize the program. Sgt. Eubanks was entering his 30th year of service and ready for a change but still wanted to continue to contribute to driver safety. At this time he retired from the State Police and accepted an offer to become a lead Instructor for Triad Driving Academy. Sgt. Eubanks felt that this was the perfect opportunity to not only continue in the traffic safety field but to educate young drivers about the consequences of violating MA laws.

Jack Hayward

Jack is a retired Sergeant from Topsfield Police Department with over 43 years of law enforcement experience.  He worked 17 years in traffic safety and then another 25 years training police officers.  For many years he has been in charge of the security for the annual Topsfield Fair. 

Jack has developed and instructed numerous training programs throughout Massachusetts. He is a certified instructor for the Commonwealth of MA Municipal Police Training Committee with experience in the following fields: 

• MPTC Firearms Instructor (Certified)
• MPTC Advanced Firearms Instructor Level III (Certified)
• Active Shooter Instructor (Certified)
• Firearms Safety Instructor (Certified)
• P.R.S.B.I
• CPR/First Responder Instructor Level III
• Less Lethal Instructor (Bean Bag)
• Field Training Officer (Certified)
• Radar/Lidar Instructor Level III (Certified)
• Legal Update Instructor
• Applied Patrol Procedure Instructor Level III
• Use of Force Instructor
• Prevention of Animal Cruelty Instructor
• Prevention of Police Suicide Instructor
• Traffic Occupancy Protection Strategies (T.O.P.S.)

Jack is currently one of our lead instructors at Triad Driving Academy.

Renee Johnson

Renee is an occupational therapist (OTR/L) and a graduate of Salem State University's Occupational Therapy Masters of Science program.  She devoted two years of her graduate studies researching interventions and trends in driver rehabilitation.

Before receiving her graduate degree, she spent 12 years working with the medically complex geriatric population. Currently, she works with children and young adults with physical and cognitive disabilities. She is specially trained in assessing the skills needed to safely navigate on the road and behind the wheel. Renee currently oversees Triad's Adaptive Driving Program.