GM Foundation Partners with Safe Kids USA to Launch Countdown2Drive

Program Designed to Educate Safe Passengers Today and Safe Drivers Tomorrow

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The General Motors Foundation is partnering with Safe Kids USA to support the launch of Countdown2Drive, a national education program designed to equip teens ages 13-14 and their parents with safe passenger and driving behaviors well before the teen is ready to drive legally.

The program’s ultimate goal is to help reduce teen crashes, which accounted for more than 350,000 teen injuries in motor vehicles in 2009, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Countdown2Drive program will complement the Graduated Driver Licensing Program, which is available in all 50 states and requires students to practice their driving skills alongside a parent, prior to obtaining a driver’s license.

Parents and teens can use the web tool at Countdown2Drive.org to establish family rules and guidelines for driving, rewards, and consequences.

About Safe Kids USA

Safe Kids Worldwide is a global network of organizations whose mission is to prevent unintentional childhood injury, the leading cause of death and disability to children ages 1 to 14. More than 600 coalitions and chapters across the U.S. and nineteen member countries across the globe bring together health and safety experts, educators, corporations, foundations, governments and volunteers to educate and protect families. For more information visit www.safekids.org

About General Motors Foundation

Since its inception in 1976, GM Foundation has donated hundreds of millions to deserving American charities and to disaster relief efforts worldwide. The GM Foundation focuses on Education, Health and Human Services, Environment and Energy and Community Development initiatives, mainly in the communities where GM operates. For more information, visit www.gm.com/corporate/responsibility/community.