SACRAMENTO,
Calif. – Nearly six teen drivers are involved in a fatal car crash every day in
the United States. Inexperience combined
with driver distraction increases the risk for error, making motor vehicle
crashes the leading cause of death for young drivers in the nation. To reduce teen distracted driving, the
California Highway Patrol (CHP) has partnered with Impact Teen Drivers (ITD) to
teach positive habits and behaviors to our most vulnerable drivers through education
and enforcement.
Ten
percent of all drivers ages 15 to 19 who were involved in fatal crashes were
reported as distracted at the time of the crash, and 100 percent of those
crashes were preventable. Based on miles
driven, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety discovered that teens are
involved in three times as many fatal crashes as all other drivers. To combat this alarming trend, the message of
the ITD program is simple: keep both
hands on the wheel, eyes on the road, and mind focused on driving.
“Teen
drivers are the most at risk of driving distracted. They are more likely
than any other demographic to be involved in traffic crashes where distracted
driving is a factor,” said CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley. “Sadly, many of these crashes will result in
injuries and deaths. We hope to help eliminate these preventable deadly
crashes.”
The
CHP and ITD will conduct virtual classes at schools and community events
throughout California during the pandemic to help change the behavior of teen
drivers. The yearlong Teen Distracted Drivers Education and
Enforcement X grant provides for an education component as well as
enforcement operations to be conducted statewide through September 30, 2021.
“In
California we lose the equivalent of eight, large school buses filled with
teens each year to car crashes. Impact
Teen Drivers, CHP, and the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) partner to offer free
in-person and online training for parents and teens—together, we can stop the
#1 killer of teens,” said Dr. Kelly Browning, Executive Director of ITD.
For
free safe driving resources in English or Spanish, please visit www.ImpactTeenDrivers.org.
Funding
for this program was provided by a grant from OTS 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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