Ford Philanthropy funds the award-winning Ford Driving Skills for Life (Ford DSFL) program that helps teens build skills in key areas - vehicle handling, hazard recognition and speed and space management.
Since 2003, Ford Philanthropy has invested more than $60 million in the Ford Driving Skills for Life program, a long-standing contribution to the goal of zero traffic deaths on U.S. roads. Driving Skills for Life provides free, advanced, hands-on driver education – including sessions on protecting pedestrians, bicyclists and scooter riders – to more than 1.25 million newly licensed teen drivers in all 50 U.S. states and 46 countries worldwide. Giving teens the tools and training they need to make better decisions behind the wheel creates safer roadway conditions for everyone, regardless of whether a motor vehicle is part of their mobility journey.
DSFL made a tremendous impact in 2025, reaching nearly 3,000 teens and adults. The free, half‑day program primarily serves families with annual incomes below $100,000.
Ford Philanthropy has awarded competitive grants to State Highway Safety Offices to support, implement and evaluate teen-centric safe mobility programs.
In 2024, the State Highway Safety Offices in Montana and the District of Columbia received funding. Montana enhanced driver education for Tribal youth, while D.C. prioritized pedestrian and bicycle safety outreach and education for migrant families and residents experiencing homelessness.
In 2023, GHSA produced a research report confirming that crash and fatality rates for drivers under 21 have improved drastically over the past two decades. The report includes an analysis of fatality data for 2002-2021, identifies policies and programs responsible for the gains and makes recommendations for the future. The report was commissioned to commemorate 20 years of the Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) program.
