KANSAS CITY, Mo. (April 14, 2025) – Ford Philanthropy and the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), in partnership with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), are bringing four free, hands-on driving clinics to Manheim Kansas City (3901 N. Skiles Ave., Kansas City) April 26-27, 2025. For more information and to sign up, visit drivingskillsforlife.com/training.
Established in 2003, Ford Driving Skills for Life pairs newly licensed or permitted drivers with professional driving instructors for hands-on advanced training that addresses critical factors influencing crashes, including distraction, impairment, speed management and vehicle handling.
“Providing hands-on, behind-the-wheel training is invaluable in forming safe driving habits for the next generation of drivers,” said Jon Nelson, MoDOT’s State Highway Safety and Traffic Engineer. “We are grateful for the commitment of Ford and the Governors Highway Safety Association to support our youth with such unique training experience, and we know this event will result in positive, real-world impacts.”
Per mile driven, drivers ages 16 to 19 are nearly three times as likely to be killed in a crash compared to other drivers. In 2024, there were 18,561 crashes in Missouri involving a teenage driver, resulting in 7,309 injuries and 118 fatalities according to preliminary data from Missouri’s statewide integrated traffic records system. Contributing factors included failure to yield right of way, following improperly, operator inexperience, speeding, distracted driving and other behaviors that could be corrected with driver safety education and experience.
“Ford has a long history in Kansas City. It’s where we manufacture the F-150 and Transit vehicles and employ approximately 9,000 people at our Kansas City Assembly Plant,” said Mobility Director Joe Provenzano with Ford Philanthropy. “This community has given so much to Ford and we’re thrilled to offer our program here.”
The free clinic will provide the following training:
- Hands-on trainingwith professional driving instructors
- Crash prevention tips– vehicle handling, skid control, hazard recognition, distraction avoidance, impaired driving simulation
- Safety in Mobility module– learn about pedestrian, cyclist and e-scooter safety
Ford Driving Skills for Life helps new drivers learn critical skills that benefit them and the people with whom they share the road with, whether that’s other drivers, cyclists or pedestrians.
Please contact Stephanie Jarnagan, Ford Fund, 480-201-7572, Stephanie@thinkcommaz.com
