Automakers' Learning Opportunities for Teens; Training that goes beyond the norm.(Special Report)

Byline: Larry Edsall

Many parents-especially among the car-smart who read AutoWeek-are capable of teaching the traffic awareness and dynamic skills needed to keep a car safely under control. But even those who can do so find teaching their own adolescents is sometimes emotionally challenging for both parties. This is one reason for the proliferation of specialized teen-driver instructional programs. Many are backed by automakers, and most feature dynamic instruction in parking lots or on tracks.

Such programs provide an opportunity to learn skills in a controlled and safe environment, says John Mendel, senior vice president of auto operations for American Honda. "Proper training and instruction for teenage drivers helps lay a foundation of responsibility that they will hopefully carry with them into their adult years,'' he adds.

Ford community relations manager James Graham says it is a natural fit for a company that builds cars to teach people how to drive them. Graham notes, however, Ford's Driving Skills for Life program is not coordinated through the sales and marketing department but by the philanthropic Ford Motor Co. fund.

While basically a computer-based program, Ford offers hands-on instructional sessions, too. One such session was held earlier this year in Orlando, Florida. "One school [in that community] lost five teens in a six-month period,'' Graham said. School officials sought help, and Ford sent its professional instructors to train students from four schools.

"This [Driving Skills for Life] is a several-million-dollar-a-year program,'' said Graham, "but if you can save one life...''

The following is a look at automaker-affiliated teen driver programs: