Do you think you’re a good driver? Of course you do, otherwise you wouldn’t get behind the wheel of a car and turn the key. You feel confident and safe in your knowledge of driving and the rules of the road, but do you really understand how important it is to drive safely and in a way that’s defensive in nature. While you might feel like you’re a good driver, you’re heading out on the road with a large number of other people who might not be as talented as you or that might feel you’re a bad driver.

Toyota has created a program to help not only educate young drivers that don’t have the experience that parents and grandparents have, but to help them with their education as well. This is not only an investment into the safety of teen drivers, but it’s an investment into their education which means it’s something that more young people should take advantage of than any other. The opportunity has been created with a partnership with Discovery Education to create the program called Toyota Teen Driver which is not to be confused with the feature that has been added to GM vehicles which carries the same name.

The Toyota Teen Driver program uses and interactive website that provides resources for safe driving for parents, educators, schools and teens. This allows every facet of the program to help to improve the knowledge and assurances that Teens need when it comes to being able to drive and stay safe on the road. If a teen takes the online challenge entitled “Heads Up!” the receive a virtual experience that tells them of the dangers of distracted driving. By participating in this program each participant earns a chance to win a $5000 scholarship price from Toyota.

There is also a challenger for teachers called the “Educators’ Challenge” which is meant to help create a better lesson plan for instructors that’s based upon safe driving. This is also a contest based program with the programs developed being graded and winners receiving additional safety education programs for their communities. Previous Grand Prize winners include Nick Aprea from Seymour, CT and first place winner Gina McCarley from Moulton, AL who both won in 2011. This program makes it possible for those who want to enjoy teaching the safety of driving to be able to do so with more resources than ever.

The website also includes items such as conversation starters, a driving activity and guide for parents and several sets of good driving examples to follow. These resources are developed to help parents be active in the driving experience of their teen drivers and let them enjoy the benefit of having the right way to enjoy the road. By teaching good habits, defensive driving techniques and safety, parents can easily help their teenagers make better decisions on the road and know how important it is to drive with the awareness and safety that will help bring them home safe on a daily basis.

The Toyota Teen Driver program offers an easy way to teach younger drivers how to drive better, but as a parent or simply as an adult on the road, you could benefit from the lessons and information offered as well. Check out the program at the link listed above and see if there are items that you haven’t been aware of in the past. Raising your awareness when it comes to the safety of driving on the road is a responsibility we all bear and can certainly benefit from in order to have fewer accidents and be able to arrive safely home on a daily basis.