Driving Skills for Life: Georgia
Driving Skills for Life arrived at Chattahoochee High School in Johns Creek on February 23rd
Stay tuned for photos and info from the DSFL Safety Fair at West Forsyth High School in Forsyth County on February 25th!
“We’re so glad the Driving Skills For Life program is returning to Georgia. This year’s driving skills event will help us continue the life-saving battle against teen crash deaths in Georgia."
- Harris Blackwood, GOHS GA
The Ford Motor Company Fund returned to Chattahoochee High School on Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011, to demonstrate safe driving skills for teen drivers. In partnership with the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), Ford’s Driving Skills For Life (DSFL) event is a national safety initiative designed to help states increase awareness of the hazards of teen driving and to teach the critical skills young licensed beginning drivers need to respond to the demands of the road. “We’re so glad the Driving Skills For Life program is returning to Georgia,” said GOHS Director Harris Blackwood. “We were honored to host the 2009 event when Georgia was just one of nine states selected to share $200,000 in Ford’s teen driver education grants. This year’s driving skills event will help us continue the life-saving battle against teen crash deaths in Georgia.”
The DSFL program focuses on four key areas that are critical factors in more than 60-percent of teen vehicle crashes. Those areas include Distractions/Hazard Recognition, Vehicle Handling, and Space and Speed Management. In 2009, Georgia’s $20,000 grant was used to implement DSFL programs in 10 high schools based upon their county’s data for high risk teen drivers. That Ford Motor Company grant marked the first time a private sector company awarded state highway safety agencies grants for teen driver safety programs.
The facts are clear…some 4 million new teen drivers are licensed every year and half of them will be involved in a crash before they turn 20. Even more alarming? A 16-year-old driver is 10 times more likely to be involved in a crash than an adult. Teens are also more likely to speed, run red lights, make illegal turns, ride with drunk drivers and fail to wear safety belts. Most teen driver crashes are due to driver error caused by inexperience and distraction. And remember…motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death for 15 to 20-year-olds! So let’s help drive down these risks!
