Fourteen years ago, the newly chartered BMW Car Club of America Foundation conducted its very first Street Survival school, kicking off the signature program to help reduce traffic accidents involving newly minted teen-age drivers. At every Street Survival school, teen drivers receive classroom and in-car training designed to teach them the type of car-control and judgment skills they rarely receive in conventional driver education classes. On October 14, 2017, Street Survival's title sponsor—the Tire Rack—hosted a special Street Survival school at its South Bend, Indiana headquarters to celebrate the program's 1,000th teen safe-driving class.
Matt Edmonds, Vice-President of the Tire Rack, expressed the purpose of the program and why Tire Rack came on board years ago as the title sponsor, saying, “When they get behind the wheel of a vehicle, under-prepared teen drivers pose a risk to themselves, their passengers, and other drivers on the road. Tire Rack Street Survival ensures that new and inexperienced drivers have the real-world training they need. The curriculum goes far beyond what any student in a traditional driver education program will learn. Ultimately, the training these teens receive not only makes them safer, but it makes our country’s roads safer.”
National Program Director Bill Wade from the BMW CCA Foundation commented further, “Since our very first class in 2003, we have educated more than 22,500 young drivers about the maneuvers that will keep them safe in emergency situations and the maintenance needs of their vehicle. This is our 15th year hosting schools; we’re moving forward with new classes faster than ever.”
Speaking for the BMW CCA Foundation, Executive Director Scott Dishman noted that the program depends on the generosity and dedication of many groups and individuals, starting with the title sponsor. "Matt Edmonds and the Tire Rack team have inspired thousands of volunteers, donors, and other sponsors to rally behind our young people on the road. They've all worked hard to make amazing things happen, and there are more grateful families out there than we can count, said Dishman. He continued, "Tire Rack Street Survival is an example of philanthropy and volunteerism at its very best. Thousands of volunteers and donors have come together around one simple idea, and as a result, 22,500 young people are now safer, more responsible drivers. We're so grateful to everyone who's made this happen, and now we've got our sights set on 2,000 schools and 50,000 teen drivers trained."
The 1000th Tire Rack Street Survival celebration was designed to draw media attention to the program and its accomplishments as well as to provide an opportunity for Street Survival partners and stakeholders to join in the celebration. It kicked off on Friday, October 13th with a dinner for the media and program principals hosted by Tire Rack Vice-President Matt Edmonds and Sue Blasko, Tire Rack's Director of Communications and Promotions, at the stately Studebaker Mansion in South Bend.
The following morning on Saturday, October 14th, the 1000th Street Survival celebration school opened at the Tire Rack's test track facility. Twelve teens checked in and most were accompanied by at least one parent. An important aspect of Street Survival is that the students learn in their or their parents' vehicles; in other words, the cars they will most likely drive every day. These can range from new cars to more likely, used or hand-me-down vehicles but the important thing is that these are the vehicles the students will be learning to maintain and will be driving every day.
One student did take the school in a car provided by the Tire Rack. This student was one of 22 foster children cared for by one of the invited members of the media.
The Tire Rack's Matt Edmonds welcomed the students, parents, and volunteers and then turned the proceedings over to Street Survival Program Director Bill Wade who handled the classroom instruction. Bill has probably done more Street Survival classrooms than anyone and is very good at it. He knows how to capture the attention of barely awake students in an early morning class that not everyone wants to be in.
The team of in-car coaches and event volunteers was stellar, and included the 2015 and 2016 Tire Rack Street Survival Volunteers of the Year Rich Dunbar and Jaynee Beechuk. The Tire Rack's Woody Rogers controlled everything happening on the pavement, which was particularly challenging because of some wet weather. Students received an eye-opening demonstration of anti-lock braking systems (ABS) and how they can allow maximum braking and steering at the same time. This was especially important as many students had never experienced maximum ABS in their car. They have now.
Throughout the day, coaches mentored their students on braking, accident avoidance, emergency lane changes, and using the skid pad to learn about oversteer, understeer, and controlling skids and slides. With rapid directional changes, students experienced the effects of weight transfer on their vehicles.
A typical Tire Rack Street Survival school involves more than classroom and driving training. For the 1000th school event, the Tire Rack arranged for a full-size UPS truck and semi-trailer to demonstrate the hazards associated with those big rigs. Each student was allowed to climb into the cab, close the door, and then be amazed at how far back a trailing car needed to be in order for the truck driver to see it. Most of those students will now increase their following distances behind such vehicles.
To demonstrate the importance of proper hand position on the steering wheel, the Street Survival team detonated a typical airbag—in a safe direction, of course—proving to the students that the best place for drivers' hands on the wheel is "nine and three" and how unsafe it is for passengers to put their feet on the dashboard.
The afternoon classroom session centered on maintaining situational awareness and avoiding distracted driving at all costs.
Wrapping up the event, Matt Edmonds thanked everyone for their participation and good work. Completion certificates were presented to the students, who left much happier and more wide-awake than when they arrived a few hours earlier. Students, parents, and media attendees all received a thumb drive with the Street Survival Student Companion, Parent Companion, and fact sheet prepared by the BMW CCA Foundation.
While the Tire Rack's special event celebrated the program's completion of 1000 Tire Rack Street Survival schools, three host organizations conducted the three Street Survival events on the weekend of October 1st that brought the cumulative total number of schools to 1000. The Oregon Region of the Sports Car Club of America held their school in Portland; the Central Indiana Region of the Porsche Club of America did theirs in Indianapolis; while the BMW Car Club of America's Lone Star Chapter held a Street Survival school in Dallas. That weekend's events demonstrated that many organizations are involved and necessary for the success of a national program like Tire Rack Street Survival.
While the Tire Rack as the program's title sponsor hosted the 1000th school celebration, other important organizations were recognized and represented, including Street Survival's other national sponsors Michelin, BMW of North America, and Enterprise Rent-a-Car.
Tire Rack Street Survival would not exist without the host organizations that provide volunteers, arrange for venues, and run the events. The most prolific of these throughout the program's history have included the BMW Car Club of America, BMW Clubs Canada, the Sports Car Club of America, and the Porsche Club of America.
Nearly 4,000 teens are involved in fatal motor vehicle accidents every year in this country. The Tire Rack Street Survival program aims to reduce that number. Celebrating the 1000th Tire Rack Street Survival school demonstrated the dedication of everyone connected with the program to give new teen drivers the skills to keep them safe.—Scott Blazey
[Photos courtesy of Tim Beechuk.]
