What is the ideal age to teach children about automobile safety? If the multi-year marketing partnership between Volvo Cars of North America and LEGOLAND California is any indicator, beginning with pre-school is not too soon.

Volvo Cars, the recognized leader of safety in the auto industry, will partner with LEGOLAND California to bring messages of driving safety and awareness to the California theme park's 1.3 million annual visitors.

"At Volvo, we pride ourselves on building safe cars, however we're also beginning to focus on other aspects that are integral to safety on the road: the driver, and the passengers," said Vic Doolan, president and CEO of Volvo Cars of North America. "By encouraging safety as a learned behavior at an early age, we all benefit. LEGOLAND, and its target audience, is an ideal fit for influencing future drivers, as well as current ones, through their children."

Two specific LEGOLAND® programs are already underway: The Driving School (ages 6 to 13) and the Jr. Driving School (ages 3 to 5). These popular park attractions offer children the opportunity to drive electric-powered vehicles made to look like LEGO bricks within the controlled environment of the drive course. The rules of the road are emphasized, as well as good safety habits such as buckling up seatbelts. As part of the partnership, the schools will be bear the Volvo name.

"We specialize in family education and entertainment," said John Jakobsen, president and GM, LEGOLAND California. "Our partnership with Volvo brings the type of quality and reputation that our visitors expect from their experience in the park. We could almost consider our driving programs a public service, in addition to fun and adventure," he said.

Volvo will become the "Official Car" of LEGOLAND, and work with the theme park to develop innovative safety awareness activities.

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(Source: Volvo)