FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 2, 2017
Contact: Ashley Pournaras, apournaras@fcclainc.org
301-310-2699
Ford Driving Skills for Life and Governors Highway Safety Association Join Family, Career and Community Leaders of America in Connecting Students to State Representatives to Increase Traffic Safety Awareness
March 2, 2017, Reston, VA - Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), a Career and Technical Student Organization, is pleased to announce a nationwide partnership with Ford Driving Skills for Life (Ford DSFL) and Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA). Funded by Ford DSFL, this partnership provides opportunity for FCCLA members to connect directly with GHSA Representatives in their state, through participation in FCCLA's Families Acting for Community Traffic Safety (FACTS) national program, a peer education curriculum piece that engages youth on personal, vehicle, and road safety.
"The teen years are an ideal time to establish sound traffic safety habits," said Sandy Spavone, Executive Director of FCCLA. "Through FCCLA's FACTS program, teens educate their peers and adults about traffic safety, and promote basic safety attitudes that can last a lifetime. Learning the realities of traffic safety builds an understanding of what it means to drive safely - today and in the future."
FCCLA has historically awarded three FACTS program winners nationally, but this year a platform has been created to recognize students on the state level as well, anticipating increased participation from youth across the country. This expanded opportunity will connect students to resources and personnel who can help with future traffic-safety projects. One such resource is "The Academy," a free online collection of interactive videos, tips, and quizzes from Ford DSFL that students can use to develop their FACTS projects. "We are proud to partner with FCCLA - an organization that strives to prepare our youth for making sound decisions - and nowhere is that more important than when it comes to safe driving. Through this partnership, we are hopeful many FCCLA members will learn safe driving procedures by participating in "The Academy" and by attending our free hands-on training courses around the United States," said Jim Graham, Global Manager of Ford DSFL.
Additional resources are available to students by making the connection to their state's GHSA Representative, an individual who works within the state Department of Transportation office, Public Safety Department, or other state agency. Through a generous donation from Ford DSFL, each state GHSA Representative will award $500 to the first-place winner selected from the FCCLA FACTS program applications.
"As teen driver-related traffic fatalities increase - up an alarming 10% in 2015 - it's critical that we give young drivers the skills they need to stay safe on the road. FCCLA's FACTS program offers a unique opportunity to do just that through peer-led learning, and GHSA members are pleased to play a role in supporting and recognizing these efforts throughout the country," said Jonathan Adkins, Executive Director of GHSA. "Not only will our members get to learn about the amazing projects taking place, but the youth will also be able to tap into the state highway safety office as a resource to inform their ongoing traffic safety efforts."
FCCLA is thrilled to be able to offer this opportunity to students, and to be working with Ford DSFL and GHSA to engage teens across the nation on traffic safety.
About FCCLA
Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), is a dynamic and effective national student organization that helps young men and women become leaders and address important personal, family, work, and societal issues through Family and Consumer Sciences education. FCCLA has more than 160,000 members and more than 5,400 chapters from 48 state associations, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
About Ford Driving Skills for Life
Ford Driving Skills for Life was established in 2003 by Ford Motor Company Fund, the Governors Highway Safety Association, and a panel of safety experts to teach newly licensed teens and parents the necessary skills for safe driving beyond what they learn in standard driver education programs. Now in its fourteenth year, the basic premise behind Ford Driving Skills for Life is to provide a step in the learning process, providing new skills and information not currently shared with newly licensed drivers in the basic driver education courses. The program has trained more than 1 million individuals in safe driving practices. It is offered in 35 countries, and hands-on driving clinics have been conducted in all 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. For more information visit www.drivingskillsforlife.com.
About GHSA
The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) is a nonprofit association representing the highway safety offices of states, territories, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. GHSA provides leadership and representation for the states and territories to improve traffic safety, influence national policy, enhance program management and promote best practices. Its members are appointed by their Governors to administer federal and state highway safety funds and implement state highway safety plans. Contact GHSA at 202-789-0942 or visit www.ghsa.org. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GHSAhq or follow us on Twitter @GHSAHQ.
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The above news release was originally distributed by Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA).