Most driving courses focus on the rules of the road, but do you know the dangers that happen when a car is barely moving—or not moving at all? Kids and Car Safety, a national nonprofit, invites Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors to master the "silent" side of vehicle safety.
Through this interactive e-learning program, you’ll tackle critical risks often missed in traditional driver’s education. Whether you are a new driver or a passenger, these skills will help you protect your family, your friends, and your community.
The Challenge: Learn & Lead
This opportunity is more than just a course—it’s a chance to be a community leader.
Discover: Complete the 20-minute interactive e-learning module to master four critical safety topics.
Connect: Discuss what you've learned with your family or troop.
Take Action: Bring your knowledge to life by hosting a community safety demonstration.
What You’ll Master
Blindzone Awareness: Understand the "invisible" areas around vehicles, especially large SUVs and trucks.
Dangers of Moving Vehicles: Cover the hazards of frontover and backover incidents, teaching drivers how to prevent them through awareness, supervision, blindzone checks, and safe driving habits in nontraffic areas (driveways, parking lots, other private property).
Hot Car Hazards: Learn the dangers of hot car environments and how quickly heat can become deadly for children and pets. Using real-life examples and practical prevention strategies, it emphasizes the importance of awareness, habit-building, and taking action to save lives.
Submersion Survival: Discover how to stay safe in flood conditions and submersion emergencies, emphasizing the dangers of driving through water. Using the SWOC method—Seatbelts off, Window open, Out, Children first—it provides critical, time-sensitive steps for escaping a sinking vehicle and preventing tragedy.
Take Action in Your Community
To complete the challenge, choose a project to share your knowledge at a troop meeting, PTA meeting, church, community space, local grocery store, school, or community safety fair:
The Blindzone Demo: Use markers to show drivers exactly how far away a child or pet can be before they no longer "disappear" in their vehicle's blindzone.
The Heat Test: Track and display the rising temperature inside a closed car versus the outside air to show how quickly it becomes dangerous.
Get Started Today: www.teencarsafety.org
Questions? Reach out to Alli Davis at alli@kidsandcars.org if you need guidance on coordinating your community demonstration or if you have issues receiving your Certificate of Completion for badge credit. Note you must complete all modules and the survey in order to receive the Certificate. Don’t forget to mention you are with Girl Scouts of Colorado in the free text question “Do you have any additional comments or suggestions for future topics or enhancements?” at the end of the survey!
Program Details
- Who: Teens (Grades 6-12), new drivers, babysitters, and parents.
- Capacity: There are no minimum or maximum numbers of attendees since the course is all online. Feel free to coordinate the community project with your troop or do it individually.
- Level: Cadettes, Seniors, Ambassadors.
- Time: 20 minutes for the online course + your community project
- Cost: FREE (Grant-funded by Honda).
- Badge Alignment: This program is the perfect companion for those working on their Car Care, Babysitting, First Aid, Public Policy, or Community Engagement badges! (badge purchases must be purchased separately)
