Learning to drive is a risky time for Kiwi teens, prompting Subaru of New Zealand to partner with one of New Zealand’s leading driver education programmes, Street Smart driven by Tony Quinn Foundation Road Safety.
Sharing a commitment to help Kiwis stay safe on the road has seen Subaru provide control vehicles for the professional driving team to use during the best-practice driver training programme. A Subaru Impreza and Crosstrek are available for the Street Smart programmes at Hampton Downs and Taupō International Motorsport Park. While at Highlands Motorsport Park, the driving team will use the WRXs are that are based at the Cromwell facility as part of the Subaru WRX Experience.
Safety is paramount to Subaru we have previously announced its most important safety vision yet – working towards zero fatal road accidents in a Subaru vehicle by the year 2030*. This vision is underpinned by the four vital safety pillars of Primary, Active, Preventative and Protective safety that work together to achieve Subaru’s ‘All-Around’ approach to automotive manufacturing, with the brand’s legendary Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, EyeSight® clever crash avoidance technology, and the advanced Driver Monitoring System.
Street Smart, driven by Tony Quinn Foundation Road Safety, offers a unique, one-day practical learning experience for young drivers and their parents/caregivers. Participants engage in supervised driving practice aimed at enhancing decision-making skills, understanding road environments, resisting peer pressure, and managing distractions. Held at racetrack venues like Highlands Motorsport Park, Taupō International Motorsport Park, and Hampton Downs, the programme emphasises safe, controlled environments under normal road conditions. Its goal is to empower participants to become safer, more informed drivers, with a learner-centered approach that encourages self-assessment and further learning opportunities.
Subaru of New Zealand and Street Smart driven by Tony Quinn Foundation Road Safety have a shared vision of advancing road safety in New Zealand.
General Manager of Inchcape New Zealand, the distributor for Subaru of New Zealand, Kym Mellow says there are direct parallels between Subaru Corporation’s Towards Zero Safety Vision and Street Smart’s hands-on, insight-driven driver training approach.
“Our partnership reflects clear synergies. We’re proud to be part of a programme that delivers true community benefit and will make a meaningful difference in the lives of New Zealanders.”
Founder of the Tony Quinn Foundation Road Safety Tony Quinn acknowledges that young drivers face significant risks on New Zealand roads, where life-changing moments can occur in an instant behind the wheel.
“That's why our partnership with Street Smart is crucial. This program is designed to equip our least experienced drivers with essential skills that can save lives.”
He was proud and pleased to hear that following his foundation’s announcement at the Taupo Supercars event in April to partner with Street Smart, Subaru of NZ proactively reached out to CEO, Josie Spillane, to offer the brand’s support.
“Having been partners with Subaru NZ for nearly a decade at Highlands, I know they are committed to making a real difference. I commend Subaru for their proactive approach in joining us and Street Smart at the forefront of efforts to reduce road fatalities in New Zealand,” Quinn says.
Street Smart Trustee and Ambassador Greg Murphy is incredibly passionate about saving lives through improving driver awareness, and extremely proud to have been involved in Street Smart right from its conceptual stage.
“Street Smart is New Zealand’s only bespoke, practical driving programme developed by experts especially for Kiwi teens to help them be safer and more aware while driving. Earlier this year, we were extremely grateful to secure funding from the Tony Quinn Foundation Road Safety and we are now privileged to have Subaru of New Zealand join us as our official vehicle partner, sharing our commitment to keeping Kiwis safe on the roads,” Murphy says.
This partnership is also in service of supporting and bringing voice to the Cromwell-based Stroud family and the work they have been doing to raise money to support young drivers through practical education and experience following the devasting death of their seventeen-year-old son Kelan Stroud in March, resulting from a three-vehicle accident in Cromwell.
The Street Smart programme commenced in July 2024, at Highlands Motorsport Park.
Visit www.streetsmart.nz to register for the 2024/2025 Street Smart driven by Tony Quinn Foundation Road Safety programmes in Auckland, Taupo, and Cromwell.
*Subaru Corporation (the Japanese manufacturer of Subaru cars) has publicly stated its aim to reduce the number of fatal accidents in a Subaru vehicle to zero by 2030 as well as the number of fatalities among pedestrians, cyclists and the like as a result of a collision with a Subaru vehicle. For more information on Subaru Corporation’s CSR initiatives visit https://www.subaru.co.jp/en/csr/subaru_csr/sixpriority/peace.html
Subaru is proud to have partnered with the Street Smart driven by Tony Quinn Foundation Road Safety driver education programme.
Participants at the Highlands Motorsport Park-based launch of Subaru's partnership with the Street Smart driven by Tony Quinn Foundation Road Safety driver education programme.
Street Smart programme participants engage in supervised driving practice aimed at enhancing decision-making skills, understanding road environments, resisting peer pressure, and managing distractions.
Street Smart, driven by Tony Quinn Foundation Road Safety, offers a unique, one-day practical learning experience for young drivers and their parents/caregivers.
As the programme’s Official Vehicle Partner, Subaru of New Zealand will provide a Subaru Impreza and Crosstrek for the Street Smart programmes at the North Island venues and a WRX at Highlands Motorsport Park.
Street Smart participants drive their own cars, while the programme instructors will drive a Subaru Impreza, Crosstrek or WRX.
