'Mopar Road Ready' Program to help teen drivers in Florida

Mopar will give a helping hand to young drivers in Florida with an advanced driving program called 'Mopar Road Ready', designed to teach safe and defensive driving techniques. Sponsored by the FCA Foundation and supported by Mopar, the program dedicated
to training and educating teenage drivers will be available to those between the ages of 15-19 with a learner's or driver's license and at least 30 hours of driving experience.

The program was developed in collaboration with the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Motorsports Museum and B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe), two nationally recognized non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations that share similar missions of promoting the importance of safe and responsible driving.

"Mopar is a brand that cares about and supports all its drivers, especially the youngest," said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO Mopar Brand Service, Parts and Customer Care, FCA - Global . "This is why we've teamed with the NHRA Motorsports Museum and B.R.A.K.E.S to offer the 'Mopar Road Ready' teen drivers' initiative. This program allows teenage drivers to safely learn valuable defensive driving skills in a controlled environment."

Participants will benefit from a proven curriculum and skilled high-caliber instructors provided by the B.R.A.K.E.S., with both classroom education and hands-on training with a 3:1 student-to-instructor ratio, allowing for quality time with each teen. Each teen's participation in the training program will include a companion experience for a parent or adult guardian who also will actively take part.

"The B.R.A.K.E.S. program has helped 13,000 kids learn safe driving techniques since 2008, and we're very pleased to be able to help educate and save even more with the support of Mopar and the NHRA Motorsports Museum," said Doug Herbert, a NHRA Top Fuel champion and popular drag racing veteran, who founded B.R.A.K.E.S. after losing his two sons in a highway accident.

Through this collaborative effort, the Mopar Road Ready program hopes to impact more than 1,000 additional young drivers and their parents.

"We are very pleased to be able to help more teens through this important program with the FCA Foundation and Mopar, and also continue to fulfill the NHRA's original mission of promoting safe driving within the car culture," said Larry Fisher, Executive Director of the NHRA Motorsports Museum.

Parents and teens are encouraged to register for one of four available sessions that provide four hours each of valuable instruction. Sessions are available on either March 21 or March 22, 2015 with the choice of a morning session from 8 am until 12 noon or an afternoon session from 1 pm to 5 pm.

The Mopar Road Ready sessions will provide a brief classroom review of core driving topics, including proper seat positioning, hand positioning and basic vehicle dynamics. Advanced behind-the-wheel training will then be provided to teens during five on-track courses, including accident avoidance (slalom), distraction, panic stop, wheel drop and wet skid pad.

Posted in: BRAKES,FCA Foundation,Florida,Larry Fisher,Mopar,NHRA,North America