Boys & Girls Clubs of America and UPS Partner to Save Teen Lives in Los Angeles During National Teen Driver Safety Week
Actor/comedian JB Smoove will join both organizations at a special UPS Road Code event Oct. 24
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of National Teen Driver Safety Week, Boys & Girls Clubs of America will host a special UPS Road Code® event for 100 teens from Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Los Angeles in partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of Venice on Thursday, October 24 in Los Angeles. Joining the event will be actor/comedian JB Smoove, along with volunteers from UPS.
The UPS Road Code program is a safe driving program created for teens and includes a driving simulator to create a "behind the wheel" experience. The program offers a variety of safety tips and guidance, from basic driving instruction to the consequences of risky behaviors such as talking on cell phones, texting or drinking while driving. Throughout the program, teens have a chance to practice what they've learned on driving simulators, which feature a steering wheel, responsive gas and brake pedals, and a computer screen that serves as a windshield in the program's interactive animation.
To date, more than 48,000 teens in the U.S., and more than 10,000 novice drivers have received UPS Road Code safe driving training, thanks to support from The UPS Foundation.
Boys & Girls Clubs across the nation and overseas will hold additional events throughout the week to promote teen road safety in their local communities. The thousands of teen Boys & Girls Club members across the country will be represented at the Los Angeles event by this year's UPS Road Code National Ambassadors. Brekiya H. from Boys & Girls Club of Central Arkansas and Jazmin W. from Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton Harbor each received $2,500 in scholarships from The UPS Foundation.
"We are so excited to commemorate this major milestone in our partnership with The UPS Foundation," said Jim Clark, president and CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "Because of their support, thousands of teens have become better, more responsible drivers. Safety is always a top priority at Boys & Girls Clubs. A big thank you to The UPS Foundation for their dedication to keeping teens safe on the road and giving all youth the opportunity for a great future."
Motor vehicle accidents continue to be the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, accounting for more than one in three teenage deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To help address this crisis, 125 UPS volunteers participate each year at local Boys & Girls Clubs to teach industry-leading safe driving techniques through UPS Road Code.
This year, three additional Boys & Girls Clubs received a grant to implement the program, bringing the total to 216 grant sites in 2019. These Clubs will receive funding to run the program thanks to The UPS Foundation's three-year $5.3 million donation in 2018.
To learn more about the UPS Road Code program, visit www.bgca.org/roadcode.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 150 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,600 Clubs serve over 4.7 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Club programs promote academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 54 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more on Facebook and Twitter.
SOURCE Boys & Girls Clubs of America
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