Mustang Coupe

Make
Ford
Segment
Coupe

If your teenager was driving down the road and hit a patch of black ice, do you feel confident that they'd be capable of safely holding the slide? Probably not, because their driver's test likely involved circling the block and maybe parallel parking. In our opinion, getting a license in the United States is far too easy and it leads to some terrible driving.

Ford agrees, which is why the American automaker has partnered with the Governors Highway Safety Association to create the Ford Driving Skills for Life tour. This 18-city tour will include 80 completely free hands-on safe driving clinics for teens and their parents. Ford says the clinics will focus on critical factors that cause teen crashes including vehicle handling, hazard recognition, speed, space management, distraction (texting and driving), and impairment. If the government won't teach teens how to drive properly, Ford will.

"Despite progress in recent years, teens continue to be overrepresented in motor vehicle crashes and fatalities across the country and vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of death for newly licensed drivers," said Jim Graham, global manager of Ford Driving Skills for Life. "We look forward to continuing and expanding our efforts to help reduce the number of crashes and fatalities through real-world training and improved decision-making skills. Working with all of our partner organizations we believe we are making a substantial contribution to safer driving."

Unlike traditional driver's education courses, Ford Driving Skills for Life gives teens hands-on experience for real-world situations in a controlled environment. Many of the tests are administered using a mainstream vehicle like a Ford Edge but the program will also put your teen behind the wheel of a Ford Mustang with special equipment to learn proper car control in the event they lose traction.

Ford Driving Skills for Life is now entering its 17th year and the 2020 tour will begin on January 25 at the Manheim Auto Auction in Orlando, Florida. It will visit 18 cities spanning from Fairbanks, Alaska to Orlando, Florida and from Los Angeles, California to Portland, Maine. You can sign up at the drivingskillsforlife website.