William’s Walk

09/26/2026

What Driver’s Ed Actually Teaches (and Why It’s Hard to Replicate at Home)

Back in August, we shared the research showing formal driver's education measurably reduces crashes and tickets among new drivers, compared to teens who only log supervised hours with a parent. That data raises an obvious next question: what is a real driver's ed course actually teaching that a well-meaning parent in the passenger seat isn't? We asked Maxwell Driving School, our Steps to Steering: 901 partner here in Memphis, to walk us through it. A Structured Curriculum, Not Just Practice Hours Maxwell's program combines three distinct pieces: classroom instruction covering traffic laws, safety rules, and permit preparation, dedicated simulator training, and behind-the-wheel instruction with a certified instructor....

Back in August, we shared the research showing formal driver’s education measurably reduces crashes and tickets among new drivers, compared to teens who only log supervised hours with a paren…

09/07/2026

Memphis Is the Deadliest City in America for Pedestrians – Again

Every two years, Smart Growth America and the National Complete Streets Coalition release a report called Dangerous by Design, ranking the deadliest metro areas in the country for people on foot. The latest edition, covering data through 2024, puts Memphis at the very top of the list. It's the second report in a row to do so, and it's the highest pedestrian fatality rate the study has ever recorded. The Numbers Memphis's pedestrian fatality rate now stands at 5.5 deaths per 100,000 residents. Between 2020 and 2024, that added up to 369 pedestrian deaths in the Memphis metro area, a sharp jump from the 221 deaths recorded in the previous five-year period....

Every two years, Smart Growth America and the National Complete Streets Coalition release a report called Dangerous by Design, ranking the deadliest metro areas in the country for people on foot. T…

08/23/2026

Hey Memphis folks:

08/19/2026

Driver’s Ed Works: What the Research Actually Shows

If you ask around, you'll find plenty of people who shrug off driver's education as a formality, something you sit through to check a box, not something that actually changes how safely a new driver ends up behind the wheel. For a long time, even the research seemed to back that up. But the most comprehensive study ever done on the subject tells a very different story, and it's a big part of why William's Walk and Maxwell Driving School built Steps to Steering: 901 in the first place. Why Driver's Ed Fell Out of Favor…...

If you ask around, you’ll find plenty of people who shrug off driver’s education as a formality, something you sit through to check a box, not something that actually changes how safely…

08/03/2026

This week marks back to school for Memphis and Shelby County area schools — backpacks are packed, alarms are set, and for a lot of families, this is the first time in months that mornings and afternoons will be built around drop-off lines, bus stops, and crosswalks again.

At William's Walk, this is exactly the kind of ordinary moment we think about. William's story reminds us every day that it's not the dramatic, rare crash that changes a family forever — it's the everyday drive, the everyday walk, the everyday moment when someone is moving just a little too fast or paying too little attention. Back-to-school season brings more of those ordinary moments than almost any other time of year, which makes it one of the most important times to slow down and pay attention.

Follow the link to read more...

This week marks back to school for Memphis and Shelby County area schools — backpacks are packed, alarms are set, and for a lot of families, this is the first time in months that mornings and after…

07/03/2026

Interesting article from Vice. There are so many things that lead to pedestrian injury and fatalities. I do wonder, given our obsession with big trucks, if we built infrastructure in such a way to make people slow down, if pedestrians would be safer by default.

A new investigation found that the ridiculous size of modern American trucks and SUVs can be linked to thousands of deaths in recent years.

07/01/2026

Driver's ed isn't offered in Memphis-Shelby County Schools anymore.

For families who can afford a private course, that's an inconvenience. For families who can't, it's a barrier that can cost a teenager their independence, their job, or their safety.

Steps to Steering: 901 exists to close that gap. We're accepting applications now for fully funded driver's education scholarships through our partnership with Maxwell Driving School.

Know someone who qualifies? Share this post — it might reach exactly the right family.

A William’s Walk + Maxwell Driver Education Scholarship At William’s Walk, we believe safer roads begin with better-prepared drivers. Through our partnership with Maxwell Motorsports &a…

06/30/2026

Another pedestrian crash in Memphis.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A pedestrian was critically injured in a hit-and-run Monday night, Memphis Police said. At around 7:30 p.m., officers said they responded to a crash at Vance Ave and S Paulin…

06/16/2026

06/15/2026

TURNING TRAGEDY INTO ADVOCACY 🗣️ 14-year-old William McConnell (pictured left) was killed in a pedestrian crash in Midtown Memphis four years ago. Since his death, his family has turned the tragic loss into action, starting William's Walk last year to honor their son and raise awareness on pedestrian safety. The family also launched the Steps to Steering: 901 program, aimed at providing driver's education to teens who might not have financial means to do so. fox13.tv/3SGXm69