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Richard Petty Driving Experience (RPDE), in partnership with Clemson University's Automotive Safety Research Institute (ASRI), announced the launch of its national Safe Driving Program.
The program is intended to prevent or reduce highway crashes by high-risk adolescent and young adult participants by measurably improving driver skills, attitudes, knowledge and behavior. The research-based Safe Driving Program, initially designed for high-risk drivers aged 16 to 25, will teach safe driving skills and safety education to participants through classes and on-track experiences by placing students in hazardous driving situations in a controlled and safe environment. Professional driving instructors will coach the students through corrective responses during each stage of the safe driving modules. RPDE and Clemson will develop a unique safe driving program, based on best practices for both classroom instruction and on-track laboratory experiences, targeting the acquisition of safe driving skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviors. ASRI, the safety research arm of the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR), will conduct research to validate the new program. The new safe driving program will include innovative classroom sessions along with behind-the-wheel driving modules. Students will participate in a variety of exercises, such as skid control, braking skills, crash avoidance, two-wheels-off and tailgating/following distance. Other elements of the program will address distracted driving and driving while impaired, which are key areas of concern with young drivers. "Richard Petty Driving Experience has all the tools to make a difference by educating young drivers. We operated more than 3,000 event days, ran almost two million miles on track last year and have a staff of professional drivers. So, we have the knowledge to teach and the infrastructure to take the program to many markets. We want to address the leading cause of death for 15- to 20-year-olds in the United States - motor vehicle crashes," said Kyle Petty, an eight-time winner in the NASCAR Cup Series and son of seven-time NASCAR Cup Champion Richard Petty. "We are thrilled to partner with such a world-class group as Clemson University. We want to bring more attention to the continuing problem of young drivers and their safety through our partnership. Just one life has to be saved to make the program worth it." Kyle Petty, a long-time advocate of driver safety for young adults, will serve as the spokesman for this initiative, and Kim Alexander, executive director of ASRI, will lead the research team and serve as Clemson's spokesperson. Alexander, who has dedicated her career to teaching, research and outreach regarding the safety of the transportation environment, has been in a wheelchair since she was a high school student, when a car in which she was a passenger crashed. "ASRI's ultimate mission is to save lives and prevent injuries," she said. "Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for Americans aged 2 through 34. Since the advent of the automobile in the early 20th century, more than three million Americans have been killed in traffic crashes. But, we are breaking new ground in transportation safety, and it is very exciting to join forces with Richard Petty Driving Experience. RPDE is a world leader in its field and has the kind of high-visibility program that appeals to drivers of all ages. We look forward to working with this exceptional group to make safe driving a priority and to save lives." Clemson University President Jim Barker said the university is dedicated to helping young people achieve their full potential. "We believe young people are this nation's most precious resource," he said, "and we are losing far too many of them to automobile crashes. If a disease were the leading cause of death for 15- to 20-year-olds, we would pour all of our energy into finding a cure. But, it's not a disease: The number one cause of death is automobile crashes. That's why I am so excited about this association between Richard Petty Driving Experience and Clemson University's Automotive Safety Research Institute. It's not often that we can say a partnership could save lives, but in this case it's no exaggeration." The safe driving programs, which start at $329 per person, will be held in Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Los Angeles and Orlando initially and expand to more markets in the future. 2007 Safe Driving Program Dates (one-day programs)
About Richard Petty Driving Experience Richard Petty Driving Experience, a motorsports entertainment and automotive services company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., produces and facilitates NASCAR-style stock car drive and ride-along experiences, auto manufacturer ride and drive programs, safe driving programs, mobile marketing events and production services to the film industry. The company boasts more than 100 stock cars and has permanent facilities in Charlotte, Chicago, Daytona, Las Vegas and Walt Disney World. Richard Petty Driving Experience will operate more than 3,000 event days at more than 25 locations nationwide in 2007. For more information, call 1-800-BE-PETTY or visit www.1800bepetty.com. About the Clemson University Automotive Safety Research Institute. The Automotive Safety Research Institute (ASRI) is a research-based interdisciplinary program focused on the critical human-vehicle-road interface. ASRI's goal is to bring together nationally and internationally recognized researchers, educators and government and corporate partners to improve the safety of the automotive transportation environment. The ASRI research team provides an array of experience in the areas of highway safety research and education, curriculum development, course delivery and course evaluation. ASRI is the safety arm of the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR), a new model for economic development in South Carolina that combines Clemson's strengths in automotive engineering with the state's strong automotive economic cluster. CU-ICAR is a 250-acre "technopolis," where BMW, Michelin, Timken, SUN and other corporate partners, now including the Richard Petty Driving Experience, are joining with Clemson to focus on automotive and motorsports research and education. Located in the Interstate 85 corridor, midway between Charlotte, N.C., and Atlanta, Ga., CU-ICAR is ideally situated in the southeastern automotive and motorsports economy. For more information on the Richard Petty Driving Experience/Clemson University Automotive Safety Research Institute collaboration, go to http://www.clemson.edu/autoresearch/ASRI. (Image provided by Clemson University.)
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