King: UPS Road Code program teaches teens safe driving techniques
Getting a driver’s license is a rite of passage for teens. It’s an accomplishment that takes months or even years to achieve. Preparing for and earning your license is an exciting time, but it’s important to remember the responsibility that comes along with the right to drive.
Did you know that motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death among teens in the United States? To help keep teens like you safe on the road, The UPS Foundation teamed up with Boys & Girls Clubs of America to create UPS Road Code, a national program educating teens on safe driving techniques.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, accounting for more than 1 in 3 teenage deaths. About seven young people die every day in motor vehicle crashes, and 285,000 teen drivers are injured in crashes annually.
UPS Road Code is a Boys and Girls Club Teen Program promoted to teach younger drivers about the dangers of distracted driving. Boys & Girls Clubs across the country have partnered with UPS to offer youth members the same training on distracted driving offered to their drivers before hitting the road.
Teens complete three one-hour sessions with a PowerPoint Presentation, board games, and best of all, play a Driving Simulator, all related to the program. The age range for this program is 13-18 years old, and participants do not need to be Boys & Girls Club members. Students also do not need to have their driving licenses to participate and complete the program.
As far as what students get out of this, not only do they learn about the importance of distracted driving, but participates also get hands-on experience with our driving simulator and see videos on the consequences of distracted driving, impaired driving, and how that can change their life.
To enroll a teen in this program, contact the Club at 605-886-6666 to sign up before the end of the year.
Hayden King is teen program manager for the Boys & Girls Club of Watertown.
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: UPS Road Code program teaches teens safe driving techniques
