Motor vehicle crashes are the number one killer of America's teens according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In 2007, there were 3,974 motor-vehicle-related fatalities in the state of California, making it the deadliest state in the country for motor vehicle deaths. Of those fatalities, 966 (or about 24 percent) were young people aged 16 to 24.

Driver's Edge is an exceptional annual safety and education program that provides real-life training for young drivers in an effort to combat the unacceptably high annual number of teen auto collisions and driving fatalities. This fun and exciting half-day program is presented with an "MTV flavor" and includes classroom and behind-the-wheel training specifically for young drivers aged 15 to 21 who have a valid learner's permit or driver's license. Parents are also strongly encouraged to participate as well.

Staffers at AskPatty have participated in such types of adult driver's training, and take our word for it: this an amazing and exhilarating opportunity for young drivers to experience these types of emergency driving skills in a safe environment.

The 2009 Driver's Edge National Tour, with its innovative and potentially life-saving instructional program, is wrapping up its free educational program with a few remaining events this year. An event is scheduled at Dodgers Stadium this weekend (September 26/27, 2009) in Los Angeles, and others are coming up in Chicago, Nashville, and Las Vegas. If you want to participate in the program, check the schedule at www.driversedge.org to find out when one of the remaining events is being held near you.

The Driver's Edge training program includes the following elements:

• --Classroom and behind-the-wheel defensive driving instruction on skid control, evasive lane change maneuvers, anti-lock braking skills, and panic-braking techniques, plus written tests designed to test knowledge both before and after students are behind the wheel;
• --Local law enforcement interaction, including impaired driving awareness and seat belt safety; and
• --Proper car maintenance session based on Firestone Complete Auto Care's Car Care Academies.

  (They've got an awesome promotional video on their homepage.  Show it to your teens, and they'll want to attend!)

Classes are led by Jeff Payne, Driver's Edge founder; Steven Tepper, Driver's Edge president; and the Edge team of professional racecar drivers and performance driving instructors. 
 
To participate, students must register in advance at www.driversedge.org. Students under 18 will also need a parental consent form, which is available online. On each day of the program, a total of 200 young drivers -- plus their parents -- have the opportunity to attend. 

While the value of a comparable program is $450 per person, there is no charge for young drivers to attend Driver's Edge, thanks to private charitable donations and the generous support of community-minded partners such as Bridgestone Americas, Inc., Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC (the "presenting partner" of the Driver's Edge National Tour), Bridgestone Retail Operations, LLC, the IndyCar Series and the CarMax Foundation.

Don't miss out on your chance to attend these remaining events:

September 26 & 27, 2009:    Los Angeles, CA
October 10 & 11, 2009:    Chicago, IL
October 17 & 18, 2009:   Nashville, TN
October 24 & 25, 2009:    Las Vegas, NV
November 14 & 15, 2009:    Las Vegas, NV

Jody DeVere
President and CEO
http://www.askpatty.com
http://www.carblabber.com

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