Education Cabinet
First Auto Safety Awareness Day held in Campbellsville

FRANKFORT, Ky. (May 5, 2006)—Over forty students and instructors from secondary and postsecondary area schools joined together on Saturday, April 29, to kick-off a pilot project, Automobile Safety Awareness Day, in Campbellsville. Free auto safety checks, including tires, hoses, fluids, exhaust, engine and lights, were provided by the automotive technology departments at the Green County Area Technology Center (ATC) and the Elizabethtown Community and Technical College (ECTC).
Also on hand was AAA Kentucky Driver Training Instructor Bill Spaulding. “Automotive safety is a critical focus of AAA. We were delighted to be a part of this pilot project in Campbellsville and hope that similar programs in the state will be offered as a result of this pilot program,” Spaulding stated.

Every year, thousands of motorists are injured and hundreds are killed on Kentucky’s roadways.

“By offering free auto safety checks, we hope to make a contribution in our community by making an impact on auto safety. Through this program, drivers can learn about simple checks so their cars can run more efficiently and safely. We hope this will reduce accidents and make our roads safer. It’s a great opportunity for our students to interact and give back to the community,” stated Steve Gabehart, automotive technology instructor, Green County ATC.

Les Pike and Jerry Clemons, auto/diesel technology instructors, brought 31 ECTC students from their automotive program.

“We were pleased to be asked to join in this pilot project. It’s great experience for our students and an opportunity to partner with another school and learn from each other. We hope to be a part of others in the future,” stated Clemons.

The Automotive Safety Awareness Day was sponsored by Green County ATC, along with support from the ECTC auto/diesel technology department, AAA Kentucky and SkillsUSA. For more information about the pilot project or the automotive technology program, contact Principal Richard Atwell, Green County ATC, (270) 932-4263.

###

The Office of Career and Technical Education (OCTE) administers 56 area technology centers, which are secondary schools that offer students hands-on training in business, graphics, construction, manufacturing, automotive and information technology fields and health and human services. OCTE is an agency of the Education Cabinet’s Department for Workforce Investment. The Kentucky Education Cabinet coordinates learning programs from P-16, and manages and supports training and employment functions in the Department for Workforce Investment. For more information about our programs, visit www.educationcabinet.ky.gov or www.workforce.ky.gov, or call (502) 564-6606.

Cutline for photo #1: Elizabethtown Community and Technical College automotive technology students are pictured conducting an auto safety check. Pictured (left to right) are Nelson Bishop, Campbellsville; Jacob Greenwell, Brandenburg; and Joseph Law III, Radcliff. Over forty students and instructors from secondary and postsecondary area schools joined together on Saturday, April 29, to kick-off a pilot project, Automobile Safety Awareness Day, in Campbellsville. Free auto safety checks, including tires, hoses, fluids, exhaust, engine and lights, were provided by the automotive technology departments at the Green County Area Technology Center and the Elizabethtown Community and Technical College.

Cutline for photo #2: Pictured is Steve Gabehart (right), automotive technology instructor, Green County ATC, promoting Automobile Safety Awareness Day in a live-remote interview with radio station Q104’s Rob Collins.