Ford Driving Skills for Life 2020 is Underway
Photo: Ford Motor Company
Ford Driving Skills for Life, the program aimed at providing new and younger drivers the tutelage and aptitude needed to be safer on the road, kicked off its 17th year in January. From its first scheduled stop at the Manheim Auto Auction in Orlando, Ford Driving Skills for Life 2020 embarks on an 18-city, 80-stop tour that goes everywhere from Texas to Alaska.
“Despite progress in recent years, teens continue to be overrepresented in motor vehicle crashes and fatalities across the country and vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of death for newly licensed drivers,” said Jim Graham, global manger, Ford Driving Skills for Life. “We look forward to continuing and expanding our efforts to help reduce the number of crashes and fatalities through real-world training and improved decision-making skills. Working with all of our partner organizations we believe we are making a substantial contribution to safer driving.”
Safety First: The new Ford Edge earns an IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK
In 2020, teen drivers across the United States will attend FDSL courses focusing on everything from vehicle handling and speed to recognizing hazards to addressing the dangers of distracted and impaired driving. Events will take place in Alaska, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia, and an online component is being offered for teens and their parents at DrivingSkillsforLife.com/Academy.
Ford Driving Skills for Life kicked off in 2003, and in the years since it has helped more than 1 million drivers both in the United States and in 46 countries. This year, Ford will extend Driving Skills for Life courses and events to drivers in 30 different countries on six continents.
The need for further education is crucial for young drivers particularly when it comes to the issue of smartphone use. According to a Ford Driving Skills for Life study from 2019, 62 percent of Gen Z drivers in the United States admit to using their phones while driving despite nearly the same number of respondents agreeing that doing so should be severely punished.
Ford Gives Back: Provides all 52 members of the Detroit Youth Choir $1,000 scholarships
Kyle S. Johnson lives in Cincinnati, a city known by many as “the Cincinnati of Southwest Ohio.” He enjoys professional wrestling, Halloween, and also other things. He has been writing for a while, and he plans to continue to write well into the future. See more articles by Kyle.