FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 17, 2018
CONTACT: Madison Forker, mforker@ghsa.org
202-789-0942 x120
Delaware, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, and Tennessee Awarded More than $70,000
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and Ford Driving Skills for Life (Ford DSFL) have awarded State Highway Safety Offices in five states funding to support teen safe driving programs.
This marks the eleventh year of GHSA and Ford DSFL’s grant program, which helps states instill safe driving habits in this high-risk demographic. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 1,908 drivers aged 15-20 years old died in motor vehicle crashes in 2016, and automobile crashes remain a leading cause of overall fatalities for this age group.
“Inexperienced drivers pose a risk both to themselves and others on the road,” said Ford DSFL Global Programs Manager Jim Graham. “The latest data show young drivers were involved in 4,853 fatal crashes in 2016. We are thrilled to continue providing states the opportunity to build programs teaching teens to make smart decisions behind the wheel and work to prevent these tragic incidents.”
State grant activities include the following:
- The Delaware Office of Highway Safety partnered with the Delaware Department of Education to conduct a contest encouraging the state’s driver’s education students to create a video on how to react to law enforcement during a traffic stop. Winners of the contest were announced during the state’s Global Youth Traffic Safety Month Kickoff event, hosted in partnership with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
- The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission is engaging nine regional traffic safety coalitions to provide teens the opportunity to produce traffic safety videos tailored to their region. Winners in each region will receive a mini-grant to develop a peer-to-peer training model and a campaign utilizing their video to educate their peers.
- Building upon a successful program launched in 2017, the Montana State Highway Traffic Safety Office is funding peer-to-peer projects through the state’s Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) members. Montana will engage additional FCCLA chapters in this statewide effort to help teens work within their communities to promote safe driving messages.
- The Nebraska Department of Transportation Highway Safety Office is partnering with law enforcement, the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles, local Ford dealerships, and state safety agencies to host an event featuring ride and drive exercises and traffic safety activity stations. The event also will launch a contest encouraging participants to create safety presentations for their peers based on Ford DSFL resources.
- The Tennessee Highway Safety Office is developing National Teen Driver Safety Week event kits to engage students from high schools throughout the state. These kits include materials and resources for teens to create an educational exhibit and a sign encouraging peers to take a safe driving pledge. Each high school will additionally create an informational video on the state’s Graduated Driver License (GDL) law, to be shared on social media.
“Our work to prevent teen driver deaths is far from over,” noted GHSA Executive Director Jonathan Adkins. “We are extremely grateful for Ford Driving Skills for Life’s continued support of state teen safe driving efforts and commitment to providing crucial resources for states to address this issue. We look forward to seeing the results of our 2018 grantees’ innovative programs.”
In partnership with GHSA, Ford DSFL has trained more than one million individuals worldwide in safe driving skills since its inception in 2003. In addition to providing these state grants, this year Ford DSFL has held hands-on trainings in Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, and Michigan. Upcoming events include a Summer Tour of the Midwest followed by stops in Massachusetts, Tennessee, California and Arizona. More information and the latest schedule can be found at 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.
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. 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 34 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 http://www.drivingskillsforlife.com/.