Sprint Nextel Joins with Florida Highway Patrol, NASSP and NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series(TM) Drivers to Tell Teens: ''Focus on Driving''

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.--Oct. 1, 20057, 2005--Sprint Nextel :

-- National Kickoff of Focus on Driving Education Program Follows Successful Orlando, Fla. Pilot

-- NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Drivers Star in Focus on Driving Public Service Announcements

Sprint Nextel , in partnership with the Florida Highway Patrol and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), today announced the national kickoff of "Focus on Driving," a new drivers education program created by Sprint Nextel to educate teen drivers about the importance of attentive driving.

"When you are behind the wheel of a car, driving must be your top priority," said Lonnie Taylor, vice president, state external affairs, Sprint Nextel. "We believe the best way to eliminate distracted driving from the roads and highways of our communities is to educate drivers to the importance of attentive driving. By targeting teen drivers, the Focus on Driving program seeks to stop bad driving habits with teens before they begin."

As part of the announcement at Leon High School, Sprint Nextel unveiled a series of television public service announcements starring NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers Kyle Busch, Travis Kvapil and Kasey Kahne, which promote the Focus on Driving program and the importance of attentive driving. Both Busch, driver of the No. 5 Kellogg's Chevrolet and Kvapil, driver of the No. 77 Kodak Dodge, met with Leon High School students to promote the Focus on Driving program.

"When you get behind the wheel, whether you're driving 180 miles per hour at a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race or 35 miles per hour on the way to the grocery store, there's no room for distractions," commented Busch, who, at age 20, is the youngest driver in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. "You have to focus on driving."

Travis Kvapil agreed. "Whether it's talking to passengers in the car, changing a CD or talking on a cell phone, young drivers like the students here at Leon High School are faced with many distractions when they get behind the wheel. Sprint's Focus on Driving program helps teen drivers identify these distractions and gives them tips to minimize or eliminate those distractions altogether."

Focus on Driving, which was introduced in 2003 as a pilot in the Orange County Public Schools in Orlando, Florida, is now available free of charge to driver education teachers and students throughout Florida as well as Arizona, California, Virginia and Washington state. The national expansion will continue on a state-by-state basis throughout the remainder of the 2005-2006 school year. Created by Sprint Nextel in consultation with the NASSP and Orange County Public Schools driver education teachers and high school students, Focus on Driving is designed to educate teenagers about the importance of attentive driving before they get behind the wheel for the very first time. Student focus groups helped create a resource that speaks to teens in their own language, using real-world examples.

"As educators, we are always challenged to find new ways of engaging students regarding civic responsibility and leadership," said Gerald N. Tirozzi, Ph.D., executive director for NASSP. "Focus on Driving takes a unique approach to meeting that challenge by giving students the opportunity to learn from their peers, not just their teachers, and to take responsibility for practicing safe and attentive driving."

Along with free teacher and student guides, parent-student pledge cards, classroom posters and an instructional video, schools participating in Focus on Driving may request guest instructors from Sprint Nextel and the Florida Highway Patrol, which endorsed the program at today's announcement.

"We are pleased to partner with Sprint Nextel in effort to curb the high number of traffic related deaths and injuries as a result of driver distraction. Safety awareness programs, such as this one, provide a foundation of prudent driving habits for young drivers to build upon," commented Col. Christopher A. Knight, director of the Florida Highway Patrol. "When you get behind the wheel of an automobile, your first priority is to focus on driving. Helping new drivers understand that will make roads safer in Florida and in all the communities where this curriculum is available."

To learn more about the Focus on Driving program or to order the free Focus on Driving teacher and student guides and the instructional video, visit www.sprint.com/focusondriving or email focusondriving@sprint.com.

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business and government customers. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two robust wireless networks offering industry leading mobile data services; instant national and international walkie-talkie capabilities; and an award-winning and global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.

About NASSP

The National Association of Secondary School Principals--the preeminent organization and the national voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals and aspiring school leaders--provides its members the professional resources to serve as visionary leaders. NASSP promotes the intellectual growth, academic achievement, character development, leadership development, and physical well-being of youth through its programs and student leadership services. NASSP sponsors the National Honor Society(TM), the National Junior Honor Society(TM), and the National Association of Student Councils(TM). For more information on NASSP or its student organizations, visit www.principals.org.