NEW YORK (Sept. 12, 2014) – What’s the greatest influence on how teens drive?  According to research, it’s mom and dad. That’s why Toyota is committed to offering free teen driver safety clinics that bring the whole family together to learn about safety behind the wheel.

Just in time for Back-to-School, Toyota’s TeenDrive365 Safety Clinics offer free, interactive driving safety sessions to pre-drivers and new drivers, along with their parents, at select Toyota dealerships in the greater New York City and New Jersey areas. The clinics are part of TeenDrive365, Toyota’s comprehensive initiative to help families navigate their teen’s first year on the road and beyond.

The free, two-and-a-half-hour classroom session offers families a beyond-basics approach to road safety, including car care tips, safe driving coaching techniques and other practical tools by professional teen driving safety instructors.

Participants also have the opportunity to test their driving skills in the TeenDrive365 distracted driving simulator, a newly added feature of the clinics that has received fanfare at auto shows, concerts and events around the country. The virtual-reality simulator allows people to see first-hand how distractions can impair their ability to remain safe behind the wheel.

The TeenDrive365 Safety Clinics cover a variety of topics to promote safe driving behavior, including:

• Defensive driving “universal truths” and best practices;
• Understanding your vehicle’s performance dynamics;
• Dangerous driving distractions and how to avoid them;
• Car operations, safety features and basic maintenance fundamentals;
• Communication and coaching tips for parents and teens; and
• Mutual driving agreements for pre-driver/new-driver teens and their parents.

“At Toyota, we really believe that the most important safety feature in any car is an educated driver – whether you’re 16 or 60,” said Michael Rouse, vice president of diversity, philanthropy & community affairs for Toyota in North America and president of the Toyota U.S.A. Foundation. “That’s why we’ve been committed to offering free education programs, like our Teen Driver Safety Clinics, that bring teens and parents together to learn about ways to be safer behind the wheel.”

“We are truly excited for the opportunity to bring the TeenDrive365 Safety Clinics to Toyota Dealerships in the New York-New Jersey area. This program is a great way for the dealers to connect with the parents and teens in their local neighborhoods while bringing increased awareness to the dangers of distracted driving.” said David Christ, New York Region General Manager. “The 12 dealers hosting the program really have a passion for community outreach and they’re excited to provide their communities with an opportunity to learn how to be safer on the road while having fun as a family.”

TeenDrive365 Safety Clinic Dates and Locations

The Toyota TeenDrive365 Safety Clinics will be held at 12 Toyota dealerships this fall across New York and New Jersey, kicking off just in time for Back-to-School season and concluding during National Teen Driver Safety Week at the end of October. The events are free of charge and open to the public, but registration is required online at events.teendrive365.com.

• September 13: Bronx, NY: City World Toyota (3333 Boston Rd, Bronx, NY)
• September 14: New York, NY: Toyota of Manhattan (645 11th Ave, New York, NY)
• September 20: South Burlington, NJ: Liberty Toyota (4397 Route 130 South, Burlington, NJ)
• September 21: Mount Laurel, NJ: Holman Toyota (1301 Route 73, Mount Laurel, NJ)
• October 4: Endicott, NY: Gault Toyota (2205 North Street, Endicott, NY)
• October 5: Schenectady, NY: Lia Toyota of Colonie (2116 Central Ave, Schenectady, NY)
• October 11: Mamaroneck, NY: DCH Toyota City (1305 E Boston Post Rd, Mamaroneck, NY 10543)
• October 12: Freehold, NJ: DCH Freehold Toyota (4268 U.S. 9, Freehold, NJ 07728)
• October 18: Hempstead, NY: Millennium Toyota (257 N Franklin St, Hempstead, NY 11550)
• October 19: Greenvale, NY: Penn Toyota (2400 Northern Blvd, Greenvale, NY 11548)
• October 25: Springfield Township, NJ: Autoland Toyota (170 U.S. 22 E, Springfield Township, NJ 07081)
• October 26: Brooklyn, NY: Bay Ridge Toyota (6401 6th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11220)

For over a decade, Toyota has provided teen driver safety resources to help parents and teens conquer the road safely together. TeenDrive365 includes a variety of events that extend beyond what is taught in standard driver education courses and a website, www.TeenDrive365.com, which offers free online teen safety resources to parents, teens, educators and schools.  In addition, the Toyota Collaborative Safety Research Center (www.toyota.com/csrc) works with leading North American Universities, hospitals, research institutions and agencies on research designed to better understand teen drivers’ risks and behaviors and identify effective recommendations to help keep them safe.

For more information, please visit www.TeenDrive365.com.