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Fort’s Toyota of Pekin has some exciting news for Peoria Toyota shoppers. Learning how to drive safely is an important lesson for first time drivers. Toyota is offering an advanced teen driving skills program for the residents of Illinois and Peoria Heights Toyota owners.

The leading cause of death for teens between 15 and 20 is motor vehicle accidents and according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have accounted for 35% of teen fatalities.  In an effort to make the road a safer place for all drivers Toyota is offering free advance teen driving skills program at participating Bass Pro Shops throughout the country.

The program is called “Toyota Driving Expectations” and since its start in 2004 has been able to reach over 14,000 drivers with educating them on safe driving techniques also incorporating ways to stay focused on the road.  The program is extremely hands on and gives teens a chance to practice real life situations on a closed course.  The website describes the main purposes for the course:

• Learn defensive driving skills and accident avoidance techniques
• Identify the dangerous driving situations that they encounter daily
• Understand vehicle dynamics and safety features
• Experience firsthand the dangers of distracted driving and understand the relationship between distraction and reaction time

These skills are all vital for not only teens but anyone who gets behind the wheel.  A parent or guardian is expected to attend the class with their teen to engage in open dialogue about expectations and rules of driving.  Michael Rouse, Toyota’s vice president of philanthropy and community affairs summarizes Toyotas goal by having the program, “Toyota is dedicated to supporting both teens and parents in developing safe, responsible driving habits and protecting them on the road.”

The teens and parents attend separate seminars discussing various driving topics and then after getting some hands on experience with some hazardous road situations the teens rejoin their parent to have open discussion.

Stan Lippelman, spokesperson for Bass Pro Shops is enthusiastic about teaming up with Toyota, “Toyota has been a partner of ours for 6 years.  …  Similarly to Toyota, Bass Pro Shops is dedicated to teen safety –whether teens are behind the wheel of a vehicle or participating in recreational activities such as hunting or fishing, Bass Pro Shops believes education is the key to safety.”

Here are the dates of the programs for the month of October:

• Foxborough, Mass., October 2 – 3
• Clarksville, Ind., October 9 – 10
• Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., October 16 – 17

Make sure to sign up!  Visit Fort’s Toyota of Pekin serving Peoria Toyota shoppers, to get more information on when the program will be in the area.  Fort’s Toyota of Pekin is working to make the road safer one driver at a time.

If you are a Peoria Heights Toyota driver in the market for a new Toyota, please visit www.toyota-pekin.com and view Fort’s Toyota of Pekin’s latest inventory of new and used Toyota vehicles.