RICHMOND, Virginia -- CarMax, Inc., the nation's largest retailer of used cars, announced today that the CarMax Foundation has awarded Driver's Edge a $100,000 grant for its national young driver education program. Driver's Edge is a nonprofit organization developed to help address the growing number of youth-related automobile collisions and fatalities in the United States.
"The grant from the CarMax Foundation will help our organization continue to provide young drivers with potentially life-saving information," said Jeff Payne, president, chief executive officer, and founder of Driver's Edge. "Our program is designed to teach young drivers better skills and driving behavior. We believe it is essential to provide young drivers with a hands-on approach to safety and collision avoidance techniques in order to better prepare them for the real-life driving conditions they will face every day."
In 2003, more than 7,800 young drivers aged 15 to 20 were involved in fatal motor vehicle collisions. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fatal motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death for this age group, outnumbering the combined deaths resulting from drug use, guns, and other violence.
"The CarMax Foundation is committed to supporting nonprofit organizations that are tackling big challenges through positive new approaches," said Joe Kunkel, president of the CarMax Foundation and senior vice president of marketing and strategy for CarMax. "We are proud to be a part of this outstanding program that is working to make a difference in youth driving safety."
To date, more than 16,000 people have attended a Driver's Edge program. In 2005, Driver's Edge is visiting 12 cities nationally with continuing programs in Las Vegas, Nevada. Cities and dates for the 2006 National Tour will be announced by the end of the year. Please visit www.driversedge.com for details.
About the CarMax Foundation
The CarMax Foundation's National Funding Program assists nonprofit organizations that address or improve automobile safety for families and children. The Foundation is supported by CarMax. CarMax, a FORTUNE 500 company and one of the FORTUNE 2005 "100 Best Companies to Work For," is the nation's largest retailer of used cars. Headquartered in Richmond, Va., CarMax currently operates 65 used car superstores in 29 markets. CarMax also operates seven new car franchises, all of which are integrated or co-located with its used car superstores. For more information, on the CarMax Foundation, go to www.carmax.com.
About Driver's Edge
Las Vegas-based Driver's Edge is a Nevada 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that offers a free educational program for young drivers aged 15 to 21. The program teaches real life emergency avoidance and response techniques and overall driver safety. This innovative program is taught on an ongoing basis in Las Vegas, Nev., with annual national tours visiting multiple U.S. cities each year. The program is funded entirely by corporate sponsorship, public grants, and charitable donations. Please visit www.driversedge.com for more information.
