FORD Middle East and Al Jazirah Vehicles Agencies Co., the importer-dealer for the Ford and Lincoln brands in the Kingdom, this year partnered with King Saud University, Riyadh, and King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, to host the "Ford Driving Skills for Life" program in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Nearly 400 students benefitted from the free program that aims at educating young drivers about the best safe driving practices, and helping to improve their road safety record. Globally, around 1.25 million people lose their lives in road accidents each year, while between 20 and 50 million others suffer non-fatal injuries, with many incurring a disability. Worryingly from a local perspective, the biggest killer in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is road accidents, according to recent statistics, which show an average of 21 deaths per day attributed to dangerous and reckless driving. World Health Organization's (WHO) statistics indicate that the vast majority of traffic accident victims are young people, and that road accidents represent the second largest cause of death in the world for the 15-29 age group. This month also saw WHO run its UN Global Road Safety Week, which ran on May 8-14, the theme for which – the management and dangers of speed – reflect the approach adopted by Driving Skills For Life in addressing some of the biggest dangers facing newly-licensed drivers today. President of the Student Partnership Program, Muteb Al-Hassan, took the reins of the program at King Saud University Riyadh, the first time DSFL has been led by those it was created for. "We're delighted to be teaming up with Ford for Driving Skills For Life, and especially excited about the addition of night-time driving skills to the programme," said Al-Hassan. "Recent research has shown that poor night vision on the road is a source of stress for new drivers, with many fearing they might be involved in an accident, or even hit a pedestrian." The Driving Skills For Life program addresses four key areas that are critical factors in vehicle accidents – distractions and hazard recognition, vehicle handling, space management, and speed management. These areas pose the most problems for young drivers and play a role in more than half of the vehicle crashes involving young people worldwide. Thierry Sabbagh, Managing Director of Ford Middle East, said: "Ford is proud of its rich heritage around safety and it continues to be a key priority for us. Ford Driving Skills for Life was specially designed to make a profound and tangible impact among Arab youth, and help reduce the number of road accidents." Sabbagh continued: "Inexperience is one of the leading causes of traffic accidents among young drivers, so with this program we aim to provide students with all the key skill sets they need to help increase their knowledge and confidence on the road." The "Driving Skills for Life" program is an international initiative for road safety created by Ford Motor Company in 2003 in cooperation with the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and a panel of safety experts, with the program being adapted per market to reflect the local driving experience. Now in its 14th year, Ford Driving Skills for Life has provided free training to more than one million newly-licensed drivers in 35 countries, which equates to an investment of more than $40 million, highlighting Ford's commitment to promoting safety on the road. In 2013, Ford debuted the program in the Middle East, and has since trained more than 3,000 students across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
