Bridgestone Teens Drive Smart Driving Experience Launches 2013 National Tour

NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Young drivers across the country will have a chance to learn potentially life-saving driving skills through the Bridgestone Teens Drive Smart Driving Experience. The free program pairs classroom instruction with hands-on driving exercises to teach drivers how to better handle accident avoidance and the importance of eliminating distracted driving behaviors. The half-day workshop will travel to 12 cities, hosting its first stop at the Home Depot Center outside of Los Angeles April 13 and 14.  

"Distractions on the road present challenges for all drivers, yet new drivers often suffer greater consequences due to their inexperience," said Angela Patterson, Bridgestone's teen driver safety coordinator. "The Bridgestone Teens Drive Smart Driving Experience offers a closed, supervised environment to learn how to respond to distractions and make smart decisions behind the wheel."

Bridgestone's Teens Drive Smart program sessions are led by highly-trained 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 on the open road to avoid crashes.  The instructors show these life-saving driving concepts, share tips to improve reaction time and provide constructive feedback – all in a fun, supervised environment.

The program's 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
• Show the importance of keeping your eyes on the road
• Understand reaction times in emergency braking situations and controlling your vehicle on slippery surfaces
• Accident avoidance and vehicle dynamics

Parents are invited to watch and hear what their children are being taught, and can also learn:

• An awareness of their own behind-the-wheel behavior and how it impacts their teens' driving patterns
• How to model proper driving habits
• The importance of clarifying and enforcing the rules of responsible driving with teens

The Bridgestone Teens Drive Smart Driving Experience will travel to the following cities this year: Los Angeles, Calif.; San Francisco, Calif.; Oklahoma City, Okla. Boston, Mass.; Baltimore, Md.; Detroit, Mich.; Chicago, Ill.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Houston, Texas; Atlanta, Ga; Memphis, Tenn. and Nashville, Tenn.

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.teensdrivesmarttour.com to register.

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.