Ford Brings Teen Safe Driving Program to New England

Ford Driving Skills for Life, a free hands-on training program for newly permitted and fully licensed drivers is bringing its 2017 Summer Tour to New England as part of its 14th US national tour, with the following schedule of events:

• Sat. & Sun., July 15-16: Brunswick Executive Airport, Brunswick, ME
• Wed. & Thurs., July 19-20: GLOBALFOUNDRIES, Essex Junction, VT
• Sat. & Sun., July 22-23: New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, NH
• Wed. & Thurs., July 26-27: Seekonk Speedway, Seekonk, MA

Across the United States, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among teenagers. The award-winning program helps new drivers stay safe behind the wheel by capturing teen and parent interest with free hands-on driving clinics that pair newly licensed drivers with professional driving instructors.

Beyond driver’s education training, the program focuses on the issues and obstacles drivers face that cause crashes, including vehicle handling, hazard recognition, speed and space management, and distracted and impaired driving. A key part of the instruction focuses on training newly licensed drivers to make better driving decisions.

In addition to warning about the dangers of impaired and distracted driving through Ford’s drugged and drunk driving suits, the Summer Tour will feature new virtual reality training tools to help new drivers navigate traffic circles, pedestrians and bicyclists.

“We are excited to bring our global award-winning program to New England” said James Graham, global manager, Ford Driving Skills for Life. “We look forward to expanding our efforts to help reduce the number of crashes and fatalities through real-world training and teaching improved decision-making skills. Partnering with our New England Ford Dealers and highway safety offices, we believe we are making a substantial contribution to safer driving for local students and parents in the area.”

Nationally, Ford Driving Skills for Life partners with the Governors Highway Safety Association, a nonprofit representing the state and territorial highway safety offices that implement federal grant programs to address behavioral highway safety issues. In New England, the 2017 Summer Tour is in partnership with the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety, the Vermont Governor’s Highway Safety Program, the New Hampshire Office of Highway Safety, the Rhode Island Office of Highway Safety and the Massachusetts Highway Safety Division.

"The past two years have seen tragic increases in teen driver-involved deaths, making it even more critical to instill safe driving habits in our newly licensed drivers," said Jonathan Adkins, Executive Director of the Governors Highway Safety Association. “GHSA and our member state agencies appreciate that Ford DSFL is able to offer these free hands-on training events to impart these lifesaving skills.”

To learn more about the program, area residents can visit www.DrivingSkillsForLife.com. Registration for area teen drivers is now open. Spread the word!