AAA sited that more than 5,000 people die in crashes involving teen drivers during the time between Memorial and Labor Day in the last five years. These days have been nicknamed the “100 Deadliest Days of Summer.” SafeWay Driving, a Texas-based driving school, is hoping to make a difference in Plano to prevent teen driving incidents in the future.
SafeWay Driving has plans to add six new locations in Plano and partner with community members who want to teach high school students safe driving techniques at the local Clark, Jasper, McMillen, Shepton, Vines and Williams High Schools.
“We know that all students have different learning styles,” said Ann Littmann, vice president of SafeWay Driving. “We compiled a Driver’s Ed program that allows students to learn with their specific learning style and also at the right speed.”
The driving school was founded by Houston Memorial High School’s football coach Gene Walker in 1972. The program was developed with its own specialized system to prevent student deaths from driving incidents. Once students complete their virtual courses, they take what they learned online and hop behind the wheel of a SafeWay Driving car to put their education to use on specialized routes in their community. The brand also has programs designed for students with special needs, like autism, to make sure they have the right tools to complete their requirements..
Believing that teens need more practice than the state minimum of seven hours, SafeWay Driving focuses on the national standard of in-car driving lessons, which is 10 hours.
“Getting your license and actually being a safe driver are two completely different things. What sets us apart from other driving schools is that we focus on a lot of in-car training for students,” said Littmann. “Having a car is essentially having the keys to a 3,500 pound missile with rocket fuel, and it takes time to become an expert of one.”
SafeWay Driving is hoping to add Plano locations this fall, by partnering with local community members looking to make a difference in the lives of high school students by providing teens with the right preparation to drive safely around town.
For more information please visit safewaydriving.com
