A program run by the UPS Foundation, in conjunction with Boys & Girls Clubs of America and National Teen Driver Safety Week (NTDSW), is expanding into three new cities this year.
The UPS Road Code is a UPS-driver training program that currently addresses 57 Boys & Girls Clubs in 46 U.S. cities. However, as of this year, it will also be expanding into Denver, Colorado; Nashville, Tennessee; and Charlottesville, Virginia. Their classes will be ongoing all this week, from Oct. 15-21, 2017, as part of the 10th year of NTDSW.
The program educates teens on safe driving techniques behind the wheel, giving them both classroom-based instruction and a bit of practice in virtual simulators. It can be an important course, given that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that car crashes account for more than one-third of teen deaths in the United States.
“The UPS Road Code program is more than just a safe-driving program,” Jerald Barnes, UPS Foundation director of global community relations and employee engagement, said. “It’s about empowering teens to be ambassadors for safety and encouraging them to act as catalysts for driving change. Through a committed partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, UPS Road Code provides the information and resources to help teens make our roads safer, starting with themselves and spreading to family, friends and beyond.”
The program also named two national teen ambassadors for the year from Benton Harbor, Michigan, and Denver, respectively. These positions are meant to honor select nominees from the eastern and western regions of the program through $1,500 scholarships and the chance to advocate on behalf of teen safe driving nationwide.