VERIZON WIRELESS SPONSORS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM TO HELP NEW DRIVERS LEARN ABOUT WIRELESS SAFETY BEHIND THE WHEEL

BEDMINSTER, N.J. - Verizon Wireless announced the availability of an educational curriculum that teaches new drivers about wireless safety behind the wheel, reinforcing the company's industry leadership position on the issue. The program, entitled vIQ^SM, or "vehicle Intelligence Quest," is an extension of Verizon Wireless' "Drive Responsibly. Call with Care." campaign. vIQ encourages new drivers to consider their driving aptitude and educates them about the options for using wireless technologies in the vehicle.

vIQ , designed to be part of the driver education curricula, is packaged with an instructive Educator's Guide and video, which takes the instructor step-by-step through the program and also suggests breakout activities to give instructors and their students an opportunity to think and talk about the issues of vehicle safety and wireless phone usage.

"Our goal with vIQ is to educate new drivers about making smart choices from the onset of their driving careers. The instructive approach we use centers on giving the audience options, which is based on the research we did with educators in the field who suggest that young adults are generally more responsive when given alternatives," said Denny Strigl, president and CEO of Verizon Wireless. "The vIQ program recognizes that sometimes the best choice may be to pull over to a safe spot off the road to make a call or that a driver may feel they need to wait until they reach their final destination before placing or answering a call."

The program presents three real-life scenarios incorporating challenges that drivers face daily. Students are then asked to choose the best option for them given the situation. Rather than present only one "correct" answer, the vIQ video presents the option that was the most suitable given the driver and the circumstances: an emergency while driving; a driver who needs to make calls when traveling; teens trying to communicate with one another amid other distractions. The educational package is available complimentary to educators, schools, libraries and drivers education instructors throughout the United States.

As the U.S. wireless industry leader, Verizon Wireless puts its strength behind its "Drive Responsibly. Call with Care." program to extend the message to new drivers. Verizon Wireless is committed to educating the public on the responsible in-vehicle use of wireless phones. For those who choose to talk and drive, Verizon Wireless believes hands-free technologies can help improve attentiveness to driving and this program helps those drivers assess their aptitude to make the smartest decision for them.

To order a copy of the video and for more information, visit the Verizon Wireless Web Site.