RICHMOND, Va., Aug. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- CarMax, Inc. , the nation's largest retailer of used cars, announced today that the CarMax Foundation has awarded Driver's Edge a $100,000 grant for its national young driver education program. Driver's Edge is a nonprofit organization developed to help address the high number of youth-related automobile collisions and fatalities in the United States. The unique program provides free behind-the- wheel defensive driving and collision avoidance instruction, along with car care advice and emphasis on seat belt safety and awareness of the dangers of impaired driving, to hundreds of young drivers each year.
"The grant from the CarMax Foundation will help our organization continue to provide young drivers with potentially life-saving education," said Jeff Payne, president and founder of Driver's Edge. "Our program is designed to teach young drivers better skills and driving behavior. We believe it is essential to provide young drivers with a hands-on approach to safety and collision avoidance techniques in order to better prepare them for the real- life driving conditions they will face every day."
Motor vehicle collisions kill more teens every year than drugs, guns, and violent crimes combined, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Teen drivers are also four times more likely to be in a fatal crash than are older drivers, according to the Highway Loss Data Institute. In 2005, there were 5,699 young drivers aged 16-20 killed in motor vehicle collisions, and another 432,000 were injured. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 1 out of every 7.5 drivers in this age group will be involved in a motor vehicle collision.
"The CarMax Foundation is dedicated to supporting organizations that are committed to protecting the lives of young adults," said Donna Wassel, president of the CarMax Foundation. "We are proud to be a part of an innovative program that provides our young drivers with vital driving skills."
To date, more than 35,000 young drivers have participated in the Driver's Edge free half-day programs. The 2007 National Tour kicked off on April 14, 2007, in San Diego, California, and will visit various U.S. cities through October 2007, with additional events in Las Vegas (the home of Driver's Edge) in November and December. Information on tour dates and cities can be found at http://www.driversedge.org/.
About the CarMax Foundation
The CarMax Foundation's National Funding Program assists nonprofit organizations that address or improve automobile safety for families and children. The Foundation is supported by CarMax, a FORTUNE 500 company and one of the FORTUNE 2007 "100 Best Companies to Work For." Headquartered in Richmond, Va., CarMax is the nation's largest retailer of used cars and currently operates 80 used car superstores in 38 markets. The CarMax consumer offer is structured around four core equities: low, no-haggle prices; a broad selection; high quality vehicles; and customer-friendly service. During the twelve months ended February 28, 2007, we retailed 337,021 used vehicles and sold 208,959 wholesale vehicles at our in-store auctions. For more information on the CarMax Foundation go to http://www.carmaxcares.com/.
About Driver's Edge
Las Vegas-based Driver's Edge is a Nevada 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that offers a free educational program for young drivers aged 15 to 21. The program teaches real life emergency avoidance and response techniques and overall driver safety. This innovative program is taught on an ongoing basis in Las Vegas, Nev., with annual national tours visiting multiple U.S. cities each year. The program is funded entirely by corporate sponsorship, public grants and charitable donations. Please visit http://www.driversedge.org/ for more information.
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