Ford Driving Skills for Life Adds New Drugged Driving Suit as 2016 Tour Continues U.S., Global Expansion
-
Ford Driving Skills for Life introduces a Drugged Driving Suit to its
2016 U.S. curriculum; new suit designed to stress lessons on the
dangers of driving while impaired -
Program to expand focus on pedestrian safety, drowsy driving and the
need to buckle up behind the wheel -
2016 tour marks the 13th year of Driving Skills for Life taking its
driving clinic across the United States and into 34 other countries
DEARBORN, Mich.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Ford Driving Skills for Life launches its 13th global tour with the
addition of a new Drugged Driving Suit for its U.S. curriculum that’s
designed to stress the dangers of driving while impaired. The program
expands this year as Driving Skills for Life takes its training across
the United States and travels to six additional countries worldwide.
The 2016 program also provides experiences with a Drunk Driving Suit,
which debuted in 2013. Students attending ride-and-drive events will
wear both suits to gain perspective on how being impaired can slow
movement, reduce coordination, blur vision and make tasks difficult.
They’ll also learn the importance of safety belt use and pedestrian
safety, and about the risks of drowsy driving.
“Our 2016 program features some of the newest and most innovative tools
available to teach new drivers to be safe and make sound decisions
behind the wheel,” said Jim Graham, manager, Ford Driving Skills for
Life. “Our new Drugged Driving Suit is intended to complement our Drunk
Driving Suit, giving students a critical eye into the consequences of
impaired driving.”
Driving Skills for Life takes its training to 15 stops in the United
States this year, including Alabama, Arizona, California, Delaware,
Georgia, Hawaii, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Oregon,
Pennsylvania and Texas, as well as other states.
The safe driving message also expands globally as the tour travels to
Argentina, Bahrain, Finland, Oman, Poland and South Korea. To date,
Driving Skills for Life has reached 800,000 new drivers of all ages with
free ride-and-drive courses, school and community events, and its
interactive website. By the end of 2016, the program will have reached 1
million people in 35 countries.
“Despite progress in recent years, teens continue to be overrepresented
in motor vehicle crashes and fatalities across the country,” said
Jonathan Adkins, executive director, Governors Highway Safety
Association. “For this reason, the association and the State Highway
Safety Offices are looking forward to bringing this powerful program to
even more teens and their parents – coast to coast and around the globe.”
Ford Driving Skills for Life global milestones
Ford Driving Skills for Life was established in 2003 by Ford Motor
Company Fund, Governors Highway Safety Association and a panel of safety
experts with the mission of teaching newly licensed drivers the
necessary skills for safer driving and the importance of making good
decisions behind the wheel.
Through free, hands-on ride-and-drive courses, classroom material and an
interactive website, the core curriculum focuses on vehicle handling,
hazard recognition, speed management and space management, which account
for 60 percent of all crashes.
In its first 12 years, Ford Driving Skills for Life provided hands-on
training to more than 41,000 teens in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.
Thousands of teens and parents have used the Web-based curriculum at www.drivingskillsforlife.com.
“Ford Driving Skills for Life has grown in both content and reach since
it launched 13 years ago,” said Graham. “We focus on parental behavior,
because research shows it has an impact on teen driving behavior. And we
continue to modify the program to keep up with an ever-evolving world
newly licensed drivers must face.”
About Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services
Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services is committed to
creating opportunities that promote corporate citizenship, philanthropy,
volunteerism and cultural diversity for those who live in the
communities where Ford does business. Established in 1949 and made
possible by Ford Motor Company profits, Ford Motor Company Fund supports
initiatives and institutions that foster innovative education,
auto-related safety, and American heritage and legacy. National programs
include Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies, which provides high
school students with academically rigorous 21st century learning
experiences, and Driving Skills for Life, a teen-focused auto safety
initiative. The Ford Volunteer Corps, established in 2005, continues
Ford’s legacy of caring worldwide. Through the Volunteer Corps, salaried
employees, union members, retirees and their families participate in a
wide range of volunteer projects in their communities. For more
information on programs made possible by Ford Motor Company Fund and
Community Services, visit www.drivingskillsforlife.com.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford
Motor Company is a global automotive and mobility company
based in Dearborn, Michigan. With about 199,000 employees and 67 plants
worldwide, the company’s core business includes designing,
manufacturing, marketing, financing and servicing a full line of Ford
cars, trucks, SUVs and electrified vehicles, as well as Lincoln luxury
vehicles. At the same time, Ford is aggressively pursuing emerging
opportunities through Ford Smart Mobility, the company’s plan to be a
leader in connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer
experience, and data and analytics. For more information regarding Ford,
its products worldwide or Ford Motor Credit Company, visit www.corporate.ford.com.
For news releases, related materials and high-resolution photos and
video, visit www.media.ford.com.
Contacts
Ford Motor Company
John Cangany, 313.317.7691
jcangany@ford.com
