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BMW of North America President, Jim O’Donnell States, “DRIVE IT HOME – DON’T TXT & DRIVE” at a Special Teen Driving School to Kick Off the 2010 BMW Championship in Chicago, Illinois

Chicago, IL – September 7, 2010… Jim O’Donnell, President of BMW of North America, LLC launched the company’s “DRIVE IT HOME – DON’T TXT & DRIVE” campaign today with the help of Evans Scholars, local teens and automotive partners including Group 1 Automotive, and the Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana BMW Centers at a special Teen Driving School to kick off the BMW Championship at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Illinois. PGA Tour player, Brian Gay, also attended the event to speak about the importance of road safety. All proceeds from the driving event benefits the Evans Scholars Foundation, which provides full university tuition and housing grants to deserving young caddies.

O’Donnell, a staunch advocate against behaviors associated with distracted driving commented, “Being a good corporate citizen is a BMW core value and we are particularly committed to promoting safe driving through eliminating driver distractions.” Additionally, he said, “Road safety goes to the heart of the company’s DNA and we advocate not only the safety of our own customers, but the safety of everyone on the road. Our teen driving school and “DRIVE IT HOME – DON’T TXT & DRIVE campaign give us the opportunity to invest in our children, raising awareness about the risks of driving and helping them to develop lifelong safety habits.”

Earl Hesterberg, President and CEO, Group 1 Automotive, which owns 15 BMW and MINI dealerships throughout the U.S., was pleased to team up with BMW to promote the early education of young drivers.

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