TJ Pruitt
Mopar has set plans in motion to give a helping hand to young drivers across the United States with an advanced driving program called “Mopar Road Ready,” designed to teach safe and defensive driving techniques. Sponsored by The Chrysler Foundation and supported by Mopar, the program dedicated to training and educating teenage drivers will be available to those between the ages of 15-19 with a learner’s or driver’s license and at least 30 hours of driving experience.
Three two-day sessions will be offered in Pomona, Calif., (Feb 12-14), Gainesville, Fla., (March 21-22) and in the Detroit, Mich., area (May 2-5) free of charge to registered teens and their parents and guardians.
Mopar will work collaboratively with the NHRA Motorsports Museum and B.R.A.K.E.S (Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe), two nationally recognized non-profit 501(C)(3) organizations that share similar missions of promoting the importance of safe and responsible driving.
“Mopar is a brand that cares about and supports all its drivers, especially the youngest, and that is why we’ve teamed with the NHRA Motorsports Museum and B.R.A.K.E.S to develop the ‘Mopar Road Ready’ teen driver’s training program,” said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO—Mopar Service, Parts and Customer Care. “You can’t put a price on safety, so along with the Chrysler Foundation, Mopar will be supporting this very worthwhile initiative with six free sessions for teenage drivers through select Mopar dealers.”
The “Mopar Road Ready” program gives Mopar dealers a chance to provide an added-value driving experience for customers, particularly young drivers. The advanced driving program provides insight and instruction for valuable defensive driving skills and techniques on a closed course in a controlled environment. Each teen’s participation in the training program will include a companion experience for a parent or adult guardian who also will actively take part.
Participants will benefit from a proven curriculum and skilled high-caliber instructors provided by the B.R.A.K.E.S. organization, with both classroom education and hands-on training with a 3:1 student-to-instructor ratio allowing for quality time with each teen.
“The B.R.A.K.E.S. program has helped 13,000 kids learn safe driving techniques since 2008, and we’re very pleased to be able to help educate and save even more with the support of Mopar and the NHRA Motorsports Museum,” said Doug Herbert, a NHRA Top Fuel champion and popular drag racing veteran, who founded B.R.A.K.E.S after losing his two sons in a highway accident. “It’s important to all of us to have the opportunity to teach kids to be more conscientious and focused when behind the wheel, and give them the skills to avoid trouble.”
Through this collaborative effort, the “Mopar Road Ready” program hopes to impact more than a 1,000 additional young drivers and their parents.
“We are very pleased to be able to help more teens through this important program with The Chrysler Foundation and Mopar, and also continue to fulfill the NHRA’s original mission of promoting safe driving within the car culture,” said Larry Fisher, Executive Director of the NHRA Motorsport Museum. “Since its founding in 1951, the NHRA have been dedicated to safety. With this program we are proud to carry on Wally Park’s vision of creating a safe environment for drivers and to be able to do that with the youngest ones really makes this the perfect fit.”
Each session will provide a brief classroom review of basic driving topics, including proper seat positioning, hand positioning and basic vehicle dynamics. Advanced behind-the-wheel training will then be provided to teens during five on-track courses, including accident avoidance (slalom), distraction, panic stop, wheel drop and wet skid pad.
Registration tickets for the free sessions will be available in early 2015 through select Mopar dealers, with participating dealers announced in December. Additional information will be available early next year on Mopar.com. To register, click here.
