Full Notification

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS RELEASE

From: Sheriff Todd Entrekin Date: March 22, 2011
Etowah County Sheriff’s Office

FORD MOTOR COMPANY TEEN DRIVER SAFETY INITIATIVE

In response to the growing awareness about teen fatalities and driver distraction, the Ford Motor Company Fund, along with the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), announced a $1,000,000 expansion of Ford Driving Skills for Life (Ford DSFL) with a 30 City National Tour. The major expansion adds a new component to Ford DSFL’s ongoing programs and web-based training.

Southside High School, in Etowah County, has been chosen to participate in this important initiative on Wednesday, March 23rd. The event will take place throughout the day from 8:00 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Established in 2003 by the Ford Motor Company Fund, the Governors Highway Safety Association and a panel of safety experts, Ford Driving Skills for Life teaches newly-licensed teens the necessary skills for safe driving beyond what they learn in standard driver education programs.

Vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers. Specifically, the majority of these crashes are attributed to inexperience in four key skills: Distractions, Vehicle Handling, Space Management and Speed Management.

Southside High School students will have the opportunity to engage in hands-on modules with professional drivers that will equip the students with fundamental skills necessary for safe driving.
Southside High School is located at 2361 School Drive, Southside, Alabama, 35907.
For more on Ford Driving Skills for Life, please visit the website: www.drivingskillsforlife.com.

NOTE: Media will be allowed to ride in a vehicle during the module with advance notice to Jennifer Stanley – contact information below.

Organizations involved in the event include:
• Governors Highway Safety Association
• Northeast Alabama Traffic Safety Office
• Alabama Yellow Dot Program
• State and local law enforcement agencies

About Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services
Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services works with community partners to advance driving safety, education and American heritage and community life. The Ford Motor Company Fund has operated for more than 60 years with ongoing funding from Ford Motor Company. The award-winning Ford Driving Skills for Life program teaches new drivers through a variety of hands-on and interactive methods. Innovation in education is encouraged through national programs that enhance high school learning and provide college scholarships and university grants. Through the Ford Volunteer Corps, more than 20,000 Ford employees and retirees work on projects that better their communities in dozens of countries. For more information, visit www.community.ford.com.

Contact: Jennifer Stanley
501-944-1639
[email protected]

Follow at:
www.facebook.com/FordDrivingSkillsForLife
www.drivingskillsforlife.com

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