With nearly one-third of annual traffic fatalities in the U.S. involving drivers under the age of 25, Honda is building on its “Safety For Everyone” approach with several new initiatives targeting young driver safety. The multi-pronged effort includes more than $2 million in safety-related financial support; driver safety education resources; and a targeted social media advertising campaign highlighting young crash survivors, starting during National Teen Driver Safety Week.
“Too many young drivers die in preventable crashes every year, devastating families and communities across the U.S., and Honda continues to explore new ways to avert these tragedies,” said Bryan Hourt, chief engineer and leader of the Honda safety strategy team in North America. “Effective driver education and safety awareness is a key part of tackling this problem, and Honda looks forward to working with like-minded organizations to find new ways to reach young drivers.”
New Teen Driver Education Funding Opportunity
Honda has initiated a new program specifically to support programs promoting teen driver safety and education with more than $2 million in funding available to eligible U.S. organizations. These programs are expected to include education, training and resources that supplement or go beyond traditional driver’s training courses or mandated state driver’s programs. Applications will be accepted through Nov. 30, 2021 with awards expected to be issued in Spring 2022.
Promoting Driver Safety Education Resources
New driver safety education resources for parents and teens also are now available on Honda’s consumer website, intended to better prepare teens and their parents to be safer drivers. Utilizing the National Safety Council’s compelling DRIVEitHOME™ program, parents teaching their children to drive can sign up for free weekly lessons covering important driving habits and situations they can work on together, and parents and teens can sign a “new driver deal” acknowledging driving risks and agreeing to their responsibilities as drivers.
New Teen Safety Social Media Campaign
In support of young driver safety awareness and kicking off National Teen Driver Safety Week, Honda is expanding its customer storytelling “Safety For Everyone” marketing campaign with a new series of heartfelt videos featuring actual teen drivers involved in crashes and the emotional reactions of their parents. Originating from social media posts and letters Honda received from appreciative customers, the powerful stories of survival highlight the safety technologies in Honda vehicles.
With different versions for teens and parents for placement on a variety of social media platforms (TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest), the campaign will launch during National Teen Driver Safety Week (Oct. 17-23). With the specific objective to reach teen drivers about this important message, Honda is running the safety campaign on TikTok for the first time.
Honda Commitment to Safety
Based on its vision for a collision-free society by 2050, Honda is working to improve safety for everyone sharing the road, an approach Honda calls “Safety for Everyone.” The company operates two of the world’s most sophisticated crash-test facilities in Ohio and Japan, and is responsible for numerous pioneering efforts in the areas of crashworthiness, collision compatibility and pedestrian safety.
Advanced passive safety features include Honda’s proprietary Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure and next-generation front airbag technology, which are designed to provide a high level of collision protection for occupants. Advanced active safety and driver-assistive systems found in Honda Sensing® and AcuraWatch™ technologies, now on nearly 5 million vehicles on U.S. roads, are designed to reduce the frequency and severity of collisions while also serving as a technological and perceptual bridge to the more highly automated vehicles of the future.
