Teen drivers are 1.6 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than adults and last year more teen drivers were involved in crashes than the year prior—the first year-over-year increase in a decade.
For the reasons outlined above, which were included in a Governors Highway Safety Association report and more, Ford is kicking off its Driving Skills for Life program Feb. 4 in Miami. The program will make 15 stops nationwide in states such as Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.
The program pairs young drivers with professionals to teach vehicle control, speed management, following distance, and other skills not normally practiced on public roads. The curriculum also includes a virtual reality simulation with pedestrians and bikers (so they don't have to practice on real folks) and an impairment suit to simulate drunk- or drugged-driving conditions (because drugs and alcohol are still totally illegal for teens) this year.
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The goal is to reduce the number of crashes and fatalities on the roadways for teens.
Since the program started in 2003, Ford says Driving Skills for Life has instructed more than 1 million new drivers in 35 countries.
For more information about the program, including dates and venues, go to www.drivingskillsforlife.com.
