RICHMOND, VA – The CarMax Foundation has awarded the Safe America Foundation a $100,000 grant to help fund a teen driver safety campaign. The campaign will include educational clinics offered during a multi-city tour across the country. The grant will also be used to help promote the Safe America Web site, www.skidzz.com, allowing teens to learn driving safety using a hands-on approach.

"The grant from CarMax will help our organization potentially save the lives of young drivers," said Len Pagano, president of the Safe America Foundation. "Our program is designed to improve the skills and driving behavior of teenagers through clinics and interactive activities. We believe that it is critical to address such an important public safety issue with a positive and proactive approach."

In 2004, more than 5,890 young drivers aged 16 to 20 were killed in motor vehicle collisions in the U.S.; another 456,000 were injured. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 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 Safe America Foundation teaches teens about a wide variety of topics, including the physical science of handling a moving car, the functions of safety devices and security features in their cars, and how to handle adverse driving conditions. The program also shows teens how to deal with aggressive drivers and other obstacles to driving safety.