Special Teen Driving School Kicking Off The Bmw Championship In Chicago, Illinois

Evans scholars and teens from the local community became safer, more informed drivers at a special BMW Teen Driving School held at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, IL hosted by Jim O'Donnell, President of BMW of North America, LLC. The fundraiser sponsored by Group 1 Automotive kicked off the 2010 BMW Championship, the third leg in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup. All proceeds from the driving event will benefit the Evans Scholars Foundation, which has provided full university tuition and housing grants to over 10,000 deserving young caddies since 1930.

"Being a good corporate citizen is a BMW core value and we are particularly committed to promoting safe driving through eliminating driver distractions," said Jim O'Donnell, President of BMW of North America, LLC. "Road safety goes to the heart of the company's DNA and we advocate not only the safety of our own customers, but the safety of everyone on the road. Our teen driving school gives us the opportunity to invest in our children, raising awareness about the risks of driving and helping them to develop lifelong safety habits."

Earl Hesterberg, President and CEO, Group 1 Automotive, which owns 15 BMW and MINI dealerships throughout the U.S., was pleased to team up with BMW to promote the early education of young drivers.




"We are excited to partner with BMW to sponsor its Teen Driving School coinciding with the BMW Championship," commented Hesterberg. "Driver awareness and safety for
teens have never been more important given the many distractions confronting young drivers today -such as texting while driving. We are proud to support BMW in its efforts to help keep teen drivers safe."

Additionally, BMW launched its "DRIVE IT HOME - DON'T TXT & DRIVE" campaign at the driving event. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 87 percent of teens admit to texting while driving. At the teen driving school, students learn this is one of the most dangerous actions a person can do behind the wheel.

Dan Gubitosa, Director, BMW Performance Center noted, "Our driving instructors teach it's vital to remain focused on the road ahead and be aware of one's surroundings. If you are on the cell phone or texting while driving, you are not able to anticipate or react intelligently to hazardous situations. Our new campaign on distracted driving creates awareness about the consequences of this behavior affecting not only teens but everyone who drives a vehicle."

The BMW Teen Driving School is a grassroots initiative under the company's Corporate Social Responsibility program combining teens, road safety and local community outreach. It is a recent extension of the teen curriculum offered at the BMW Performance Center located in Spartanburg, SC. Students improve their driving skills and increase their road knowledge through classroom instruction, driver awareness activities and hands-on driving exercises.

For more information on the BMW Teen Driving School, click bmwusanews.com.