DCH Auto Group Supports 2011 National Youth Traffic Safety Month

DCH Auto Group is calling attention to teen driving safety this May as part of National Youth Traffic Safety Month.  Throughout May, all DCH Auto Group Dealerships in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and California will be holding and sponsoring events to raise awareness about how to keep young drivers safe on our roads and highways.

May is an important time for teens to be focused on driving safety. With prom, graduation, and summer trips just ahead, the potential for traffic-related deaths and injuries that involve young drivers and passengers increases alarmingly.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says traffic crashes are the leading killer of teens, with more than 5,000 dying annually. That's why DCH Auto Group and its partners, Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) and the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS), and numerous likeminded organizations across the country are raising awareness all month long to educate teens about safe driving habits.

DCH Auto Group dealerships and DCH-sponsored High School SADD Chapters will be holding events to educate teens about driving safety, including:

• DCH Dealerships in Temecula, CA will be holding their annual talent competition DCH Temecula's Got Talent (www.temeculasgottalent.com) on Saturday, May 21. The popular carnival-like event hosted by DCH Honda of Temecula, DCH Acura of Temecula and DCH Chrysler Jeep Dodge of Temecula along with SADD Chapters from Great Oak High School, Chaparrel High School, and Temecula Valley High School,  gives area residents the opportunity to showcase their talents and gain knowledge about safe driving issues.
• DCH's BMW of Greenwich and Greenwich High School will be hosting a day of events on Friday, May 6. The day includes presentations from state and local police and local EMS members, the premier of a new student-made safe driving PSA and a safe driving presentation by DCH Auto Group's Director of Marketing Roy Bavaro.
• DCH Freehold Toyota in Freehold, NJ will host Howell High School's SADD Chapter and Manalapan High School's SADD Chapter on Saturday, May 14. Students will demonstrate to DCH customers the dangers of drunk driving.
• DCH Academy Honda team members will join Old Bridge High School students, Old Bridge, NJ, for several events the week of May 16, including holding a vehicle safety check clinic and provide vehicles to demonstrate how seat belts save lives.
• Freehold Township High School SADD in Freehold, NJ will be holding a Town Hall meeting on Thursday, May 19 to discuss the dangers of texting and driving.
• DCH Dealerships in Oxnard, CA and Ventura County SADD Chapters will be hosting a Car Racing Night at MB2 Raceway on Friday, May 20, providing a safe way to test driving skills. Proceeds will benefit area SADD Chapters. There will be raffles, music and safe driving information available.
• Team members from DCH Toyota of Simi Valley will be visiting Royal High School on Wednesday, May 25 to help the school's SADD Chapter demonstrate the importance of seatbelts.

DCH Auto Group is committed to helping teens drive safely with its Teen Safe Driving Program, an exclusive, long term, teen-focused, driving-safety community outreach program.  The cornerstone of the program is the company's affiliation with SADD.  DCH Auto Group is the exclusive automotive dealer sponsor of SADD in New Jersey, southern New York, Fairfield, Connecticut, and southern California, where the company owns and operates a wide array of car dealerships. DCH is also a member of The National Safety Council Coalition on Teen Driving. Through the company's involvement with this Coalition, DCH is working to raise awareness among parents of young drivers about the importance of the graduated drivers license, and the importance of parents playing an active part in their child's driver education.