DrivingMBA, an industry leader in driver education, is hosting a ribbon cutting event on Saturday, Oct. 23, from 1 to 4 p.m. at its newest West Valley location. Located at Il Palazzo at Arrowhead Ranch, 5940 W. Union Hills Drive, Suite D210, in Glendale, the official ribbon cutting ceremony will include appearances by local dignitaries along with area businesses focused on car and driver safety.
The special outdoor event will also include an official dedication to Jennifer Hinds. Jennifer was the daughter of Red Means Stop founder Frank Hinds. She was killed by a red light runner in 1997 when she was a senior in high school. Frank has worked tirelessly to pass “Jennifer’s Law,” increasing the penalties for red light runners who injure and kill others.
“The relationship between Red Means Stop and Driving MBA is significant. Among other things, in the past, Red Means Stop has provided scholarships for students who have been unable to afford quality driver training,” says Maria Wojtczak, Chief Operating Officer at DrivingMBA.
“We are dedicating the West Valley office to Jennifer because she was a student at Ironwood High School in Glendale. This dedication is an important reminder that we need to do better, that Jennifer’s life wasn’t lost in vain, and we need to continue to educate the public about the horrific consequences of running a red light,” Wojtczak adds. “Unfortunately, Arizona remains number one in the country for red light running, so we haven’t been able to move the needle on this just yet, but we will continue to fight to bring awareness to this important cause.”
To further raise awareness in the community, DrivingMBA is combining the grand opening event with a Safe Driving Expo. DrivingMBA will have its mobile unit on site where attendees can take a turn on the Defensive Driving Simulator. The fun-filled afternoon will raise awareness for all aspects of driver safety. Greulich’s Automotive will be on site to demonstrate how to check tire tread, put air in tires, check oil, and other basic car care tips. Red Means Stop, AAA and State Farm Insurance, representatives from Glendale Police and Fire as well as other automotive-related businesses will be in attendance. Attendees can also enjoy delicious food from the plaza’s food vendors, including Rita’s, Café Rumba, Ginger China Bistro, and Heroes Pub & Grub.
Since opening its doors a decade ago, DrivingMBA has graduated over 15,000 students and has become known as one of the Valley’s most comprehensive teen driver training programs. Research shows that motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death among teenagers in the U.S. and most of these fatal collisions occur within six months of a driver obtaining a license. That is why proper driver training is essential to keeping teens safe on Valley roads.
“For any family considering registering their teen for driver training, this is the time to do it. We learned early on that standard driving training isn’t enough to keep Valley teens safe on the roads,” Wojtczak says. “Our mission is to save lives and we believe in the power of education and providing our students training and tools based on research and science to help them become competent, responsible and safe drivers for the rest of their lives.”
Learn more about DrivingMBA at drivingmba.com.
