Ford has announced it will invest a further £2.1m in 2016 to provide free driver training to 7,000 18- to 24-year-olds across Europe.
That brings Ford’s total invested on training to £7.1 million through its Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) programme in Europe since 2013. This year, Ford will offer the free driver training for the first time in Finland and Poland, and continue to provide training in the UK, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, Russia, Spain and Turkey.
Ford says that car crashes are the leading cause of death for Europeans aged 18 to 24-year-olds. Having already trained 13,500 novice drivers in Europe, the programme also highlights the risks posed by social media distractions such as texting and taking selfies at the wheel, as well as the dangers of drinking and driving, or driving after taking drugs.
“Too many young adults are dying in car crashes caused by a combination of inexperience and poor decision making,” said Jim Graham, manager, Ford DSFL. “With this new £2.1 million investment in young driver training for 2016, we can provide a further 7,000 young people with the skills and knowledge that could help save their lives.”
Ford has teamed with leading safety organisations across Europe including partnering with the AA Driving School, Brake and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents in the UK.
“Newly qualified drivers still have so much to learn about safety on the road so we strongly urge young drivers to take advantage of Ford DSFL training,” Graham said. “It’s fun, free, informative, and because we constantly re-evaluate what we teach, it’s always relevant.”
For more information, go to www.forddsfl.co.uk
Check out this cool video Ford has produced..