Bridgestone Teen Driver Safety Program to Visit 11 US Cities

NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 29, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Just ahead of the 100 Deadliest Days, the busy summer driving season between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Bridgestone Americas (Bridgestone) announced the company's teen driver safety program will visit 11 cities across the U.S.

Designed to teach teens potentially life-saving skills, the Bridgestone Teens Drive Smart program is a free workshop that pairs classroom instruction with hands-on driving exercises. The half-day session is uniquely designed to equip teens with accident avoidance skills and help eliminate distracted driving behaviors.

"Car crashes are the leading cause of teen deaths, and inexperience is the chief cause of crashes involving teenagers. We must do more to bring awareness to this reality," said Rachel Withers, Communications Leader, Bridgestone Americas.  "Bridgestone created the Teens Drive Smart Driving Experience to give young drivers one-on-one time with professional driving instructors who can teach them how to handle the challenges of the road and help them feel more confident behind the wheel."

Registration is now open for the program's first event, which will be May 16 and May 17 at the Maverick Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. To register, parents and teens should visit www.teensdrivesmart.com/tour.

The Teens Drive Smart Driving Experience is led by driving instructors, many with motorsports, stunt driving and test track experience. They understand critical vehicle dynamics and put the students through practice maneuvers that can be replicated in real-life scenarios. The instructors demonstrate life-saving driving maneuvers, share tips to improve reaction time and provide constructive feedback – all in a fun, engaging and supervised environment.

The curriculum for teenagers is designed to:

• Define and identify distracted driving behaviors
• Identify the dangerous situations caused by distracted driving
• Develop a base understanding of driving principles
• Understand reaction times in emergency braking situations and controlling your vehicle on slippery surfaces
• Practice accident avoidance

The Bridgestone Teens Drive Smart Driving Experience tour will travel to the following cities in 2015:

Participating teenagers must be between the ages of 15-21 and have a valid driver's license or learner's permit. Attendees with at least 30 hours of driving experience gain the most benefit from the Bridgestone Teens Drive Smart Driving Experience. The event is free to attend, but advanced registration is required. Visit www.teensdrivesmart.com/tour to register or learn more about the Bridgestone Teens Drive Smart program.

About Bridgestone Americas, Inc.:
Nashville, Tenn.-based Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (BSAM) is the U.S. subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, the world's largest tire and rubber company. BSAM and its subsidiaries develop, manufacture and market a wide range of Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand tires to address the needs of a broad range of customers, including consumers, automotive and commercial vehicle original equipment manufacturers, and those in the agricultural, forestry and mining industries. The companies are also engaged in retreading operations throughout the Western Hemisphere and produce air springs, roofing materials, and industrial fibers and textiles. The BSAM family of companies also operates the world's largest chain of automotive tire and service centers. Guided by its One Team, One Planet message, the company is dedicated to achieving a positive environmental impact in all of the communities it calls home.

SOURCE Bridgestone Americas, Inc.