SACRAMENTO,
Calif. – Distracted driving is a growing problem, particularly among
teenagers. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is embarking on a
yearlong comprehensive campaign to discourage teens from driving while
distracted. This announcement aligns with National Teen Driver Safety
Week, which runs from October 15-21, 2023. Motor
vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for teens in the United
States. California is home to more than 800,000 licensed teenage
drivers. Sadly, thousands of the state’s drivers between 15-19 years of
age are involved in fatal and injury crashes every year. According to
data from the CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System, in 2021
there were more than 17,000 fatal and injury crashes involving teen drivers. Through
the grant-supported Teen Distracted Driving initiative, the CHP is dedicated
to promoting safe and responsible driving practices with the goal of helping
teen drivers remain focused on the road to avoid becoming another statistic. "A
combination of driver inexperience and distraction behind the wheel can lead
to a lifetime of consequences,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “The
dangers associated with driving distracted are not worth the text, call, or
fleeting distraction. It's a careless choice that can change lives
forever." Everyday
activities like using a cell phone, eating, drinking, adjusting the stereo,
or chatting with friends, pose life-threatening risks when done behind the
wheel and can have an impact on all road users. The
Teen Distracted Driving program encompasses an educational element that
enables CHP officers and traffic safety collaborators to participate in
school and community events across the state. Enforcement efforts
targeting distracted driving will be carried out during both National Teen
Driver Safety Week in October and National Distracted Driving Awareness Month
in April. Funding
for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of
Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The
mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and
Security.
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