As we observe National Distracted Driving Awareness Month this April, the Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy teamed up with California Highway Patrol (CHP), California Office of Traffic Safety, and Impact Teen Drivers to offer several teen driver safety events in SoCal. The Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy, a California DMV–certified teen driving school, hopes the courses will have increased awareness about the dangers of texting and driving, as well as other forms of distracted driving, to train teenagers to be safer drivers behind the wheel.
As part of the events, held in both San Diego and Los Angeles, Mercedes-Benz Driving took teens through closed distracted driving courses at Birmingham High School in Van Nuys on April 2nd and at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego on April 3rd.
These driving demonstrations allowed teens to take to the road on closed courses. The first time through, teens were given no distractions; the second time through, however, distractions were introduced—noisy passengers, cell phone usage, and more—demonstrating just how unsafe these distractions truly are.
“The number one cause of death amongst teens is car crashes, with 90% of crashes due to driver error. It’s disheartening because these tragedies are preventable,” said Carolyn Duchene, director of Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy. “Parents can make a huge difference by simply being role models behind the wheel.”
Stay tuned to The News Wheel for more safe driving news.
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