Ford Driving Skills for Life

Ford Motor Company Fund, the philanthropic arm of Ford, and the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) brought four free fully-scheduled Ford Driving Skills for Life hands-on training clinics to Atlanta Motor Speedway April 1-2, 2023. 

Now in its 20th year, Ford Driving Skills for Life supports the goal of Vision Zero — to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries among all road users while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility. The program pairs newly licensed or permitted drivers with professional driving instructors for hands-on driving training in a safe, closed-course environment. Developed by Ford Fund, GHSA and a panel of safety experts, the program addresses issues and critical factors that influence crashes, including vehicle handling, hazard recognition, speed and space management, distracted driving and impaired driving. The free training clinics focus on necessary skills for safe driving, including pedestrian/cyclist education, and was conducted in partnership with the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. 

“At Ford Fund, we invest in programs that create safer conditions for all road users, including those without car-centric mobility journeys. We believe that everyone deserves access to reliable, safe and affordable mobility,” said Joe Provenzano, Mobility director with the Ford Motor Company Fund. “Our Ford Driving Skills for Life program teaches safe driving practices to newly licensed teen drivers in the context of vulnerable road users like pedestrians, bicyclists and transit riders. By training teen drivers, the program results in a safer journey for both the new drivers as well as those who share the road with them.” 

Parents and guardians participated with their teens because of the significant role they play in shaping their driving habits. 

In Georgia, 937 young drivers (ages 15-20) were involved in fatal crashes between 2016-2020, according to NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). Moreover, Georgia ranks among the top 10 most dangerous states for pedestrians (#9), according to traffic safety data compiled from 2016-2020. 

Special thanks to Ford Motor Company Fund, GHSA and the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, as well as the participating teens and parents for helping to make the roads of Georgia a safer place.

To register for an upcoming class, visit https://drivingskillsforlife.com/training/hands-on-training.

Photos courtesy of drivingskillsforlife.com.