Ever since I was a child, driving has been a topic that has always scared me. The accidents and crashes that I always heard about made me wary of entering a car. My fear was cemented further when at the age of seven I was involved in a car wreck alongside my mother and aunt. Thankfully, my family and I only received minor injuries, but the accident left me with an even deeper fear of driving. I carried this fear with me for most of my life and it was not until I became a part of the UPS Road Code program that I was finally able to break free from it.

When I began participating in the UPS Road Code program at my Boys & Girls Club, which educates teens on safe driving techniques, I hoped to ease my fears of driving so that I could finally begin working towards receiving my driver’s license. However, by the end of the program my fears were not only temporarily eased but completely erased. The program and the UPS volunteer made me feel more comfortable about being behind the wheel of a car and more confident about my own driving abilities. All the defensive driving techniques and safe driving rules taught to me in the program made me feel safer than I ever thought I could be while driving. I credit the UPS Road Code program for my obtaining my driver license and driving confidence.

The UPS Road Code program changed my life and I hope to see it change the life of other teens. As a 2020-21 UPS Road Code National Ambassador, I serve as a voice for Club teens nationwide to educate others and advocate for safer roads. I hope to act as a direct contact for teens so that they may communicate their concerns or ideas to our peers and to the UPS Road Code instructors.

April is Distracted Driver Awareness Month where organizations nationwide are promoting and encouraging safe driving. Read more about how Boys & Girls Clubs of America and The UPS Foundation are partnering to save teen lives on the road through the UPS Road Code Program at BGCA.org/RoadCode.