Car crashes are the leading cause of teenage deaths. Drivers from ages
15-24 are 20 times more likely to be involved in a fatal car crash
compared to the average driver. They account for over 25 percent of all
auto-related fatalities. More than 8,000 young drivers were involved in
fatal crashes last year, 300,000 more were injured, and more than 1.6
million were involved in vehicle crashes.
Driver’s Edge, a non-profit youth driver-education program, wants
to stop this with an innovative method. The program will be offered in
13 cities this year. Comparable programs would cost about $450 per
student, but Driver’s Edge is free, thanks to grant monies and the
support of various companies.
Driver’s Edge is offered in two 4 1/2-hour morning and afternoon
sessions, each with about 75 students. Instruction involves classroom
and actual defensive driving on specialized road courses that are set up
on a closed parking lot. Students are taught skills in evasive lane
changes, panic-braking maneuvers and skid control. Classroom instruction
reinforces the driving courses.
Remaining dates and locations for the 2004 Driver’s Edge program include the following:
- Reno: July 8-11
- Nashville: August 28-29
- Charlotte: September 11
- Las Vegas: September 18-19
- Orlando: October 2
- Las Vegas: October 16-17
- San Francisco: October 30
- Los Angeles: November 13
- Las Vegas: December 4-5
- Sacramento: TBA
Space is limited and filled on a first-come first-served basis.
Students may register to attend the event by calling Driver’s Edge toll-free at 1 (877)
633-EDGE or register online: www.driversedge.org.
