Free Teen Driver Hands-On Clinics Coming to Buffalo

Ford Philanthropy and the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), in partnership with the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC), are bringing six free, hands-on driving clinics to the University at Buffalo North Campus July 19-20, 2025.

Established in 2003, Ford Driving Skills for Life pairs newly licensed or permitted drivers with professional driving instructors for hands-on advanced training that addresses critical factors influencing crashes, including distraction, impairment, speed management and vehicle handling.

Ford Driving Skills for Life helps new drivers learn critical skills that benefit them and the people with whom they share the road with, whether that’s other drivers, cyclists or pedestrians.

Why sign up?

🚗 Hands-on training with professional driving instructors

⚠️ Crash prevention tips – vehicle handling, skid control, distraction avoidance, impaired driving simulation

🚲 Safety in Mobility module – learn about pedestrian, cyclist and e-scooter safety

Car crashes are a leading cause of teen deaths, but education saves lives. Ford Driving Skills for Life has helped thousands of young drivers build confidence and stay safe on the road.

From 2020 to 2024, there were 21 fatal crashes involving a teen driver in Erie County, according to the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research Traffic Safety Statistical Repository. In 2024 alone, there were 28,968 teen drivers (ages 16-19) involved in traffic crashes. Erie County ranked 4th in the state with a teen driver crash rate of 4 drivers (ages 16-19) in crashes for every thousand licensed teen drivers in 2024. Contributing factors included failure to yield right of way, following improperly, distracted driving, passing/lane changing improper use, speeding, and operator inexperience and other behaviors that could be corrected with driver safety education and experience.

“Educating teen drivers about the dangers they face every time they get behind the wheel or are a passenger in a vehicle is crucial in the development of good driving habits. Ford Driving Skills for Life helps us by demonstrating real life scenarios and giving these young drivers an opportunity to learn how to handle these challenges in a safe environment, before they face them on our roadways,” said New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner and Chair of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee Mark J.F. Schroeder. “We are grateful to have the opportunity to have this program here, helping our youngest drivers in New York.”

Parents/guardians and teen youth groups are encouraged to join! Spots are limited, so sign up now at drivingskillsforlife.com/training.

Let’s hit the road safely, Buffalo!