Los Angeles Will be Home to Mercedes-Benz Teen Driving School - According to a recent announcement by Mercedes-Benz USA, the auto manufacturer will be opening their first Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy in Los Angeles in October, 2011. Focusing on teens living in the Los Angeles area, the driving academy’s includes a driver’s education program and school that will incorporate classroom, online, and behind-the-wheel training. Find out about other dealer services at Ford Franklin. In addition to driver education, the Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy plans to raise awareness about teen driver safety and to get educators and parents actively involved in preventing motor vehicle accidents, which is the leading cause of death of teens, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Carolyn Duchene, the Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy’s director, will manage the program’s launch and administer daily operations.
In preparation for the fall launch, the Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy is actively recruiting driving instructors, who will be trained to teach the Academy’s research-based program using a coaching style that Mercedes-Benz says will be highly effective. “In addition to a unique educational approach, our highly qualified staff will be a key differentiator for the Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy,” said Duchene. “We are recruiting and hiring the best talent for all areas of operation. The Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy will connect with students and parents using a personalized, customer-centric approach that truly creates a unique offering among driver’s education services for new teen drivers.”
Current teen driving programs provided by auto manufacturers and other organizations are primarily focused on teaching crash avoidance and defensive driving techniques. The Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy will go further than simply teaching basic driving skills and rote memorization of traffic rules and will focus on making sure students are prepared for modern driving situations. The program will make use of different teaching techniques, including online learning, interactive classroom sessions, and behind-the-wheel training. Ford Lansing offers complete services for all your automotive dealership needs. The program will utilize digital animation to create simulations of road hazards. The program will also make use of problem-solving classroom exercises as well as in-car coaching techniques based on questioning, instead of conventional lecturing techniques. Driving instructors will provide parents with continual feedback.
“Vehicles, highways, and the driving environment have changed dramatically over the past 60 years, however driver education remains relatively unchanged in the U.S.,” said Alexander Hobbach, Senior Manager of Business Innovation at Daimler AG. “Mercedes-Benz feels there is opportunity to better prepare teens for today’s driving conditions, and while our offering will have premium pricing over existing schools, we are dedicated to delivering significant value based on unique coaching methods and curriculum that is aimed at teaching new teens how to drive safely.”
Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy plans on becoming the only car company to offer a California DMV-approved program that’s integrated with the Graduated Driver Licensing framework. The curriculum will take a student from their learner’s permit through obtaining their provisional license, and will also provide an on-road only program for students who would like to complete their driver education requirement through other means. San Antonio Mazda is a one stop source for all your new car needs. There will also be a customized program that will allow students to develop and improve skills based on his or her individual needs. Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy is also partnering with Impact Teen Drivers to create a public outreach program that will provide workshops at Los Angeles-area high schools for parents and teens. The workshops will help raise awareness of the importance of teaching teens to drive properly.
Photos courtesy of Mercedes-Benz.