Teen Drivers
May is Youth Traffic Safety Month in Virginia!
At Driven to Protect Virginia, we want your help spreading the word that May is National Youth Traffic Safety Month – an important time to teach teens about the dangers of drunk driving and other safe driving behaviors. Click here to view, download, and share the materials!
This May, take the following actions to get involved:
- Spread the word to your followers and networks by sharing social content throughout the month – or create your own content about why you want to see a future without drunk driving and tag @DrvnToProtectVA! Click here to download and share the materials.
- Send an e-newsletter or post a blurb on your website. Materials can be found alongside our social content here.
- Inspire students by bringing our STEM-based virtual learning modules into your own classroom – from hands-on projects to a fun Kahoot quiz. Visit the Discovery Hub to get access to all of our resources. You can also find the learning modules on Virtual Virginia.
- Interested in a guest speaker, a hands-on demonstration, or field trip for your students? Email e-learning@actsautosafety.org to start the conversation about other ways to integrate Driven to Protect into your classrooms, driver education trainings, or health and safety presentations.
- Follow @DrvnToProtectVA on Twitter for more information about the technology and traffic safety in Virginia.
About Driven to Protect:
The Driven to Protect Virginia Initiative is a public-private partnership between the Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety (ACTS) and the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. ACTS represents the world's automakers and leads the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS) Program, in partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The program is developing a first-of-its-kind technology called the alcohol detection system that will detect when a driver is impaired with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at or above 0.08 percent and prevent the vehicle from moving. Driven To Protect Virginia is the first state partnership dedicated to advancing technology that can prevent alcohol-impaired driving and educating the public about this technology and responsible driving behavior. DrivenToProtectVA.org
Teen Drivers & Speeding / Seat Belt Use
Speeding endangers everyone on the road and excessive speeding is occurring in every community. Excessive speed injures or kills motorists and their passengers, pedestrians and bicyclists. Teen speeding is particularly dangerous due to the lack of experience of young drivers (ages 15-19), who are more likely to overcorrect, run off the road, or lose control of their vehicles. For these reasons, fatal crashes involving teen drivers are on the rise.
From 2020 to 2021, speed-related fatal crashes involving teen drivers (ages 15-19) have increased by 4% in Virginia (24 to 25). Fatal crashes involving teen drivers who were unrestrained increased 6% (31 to 33) in 2020 vs 2019. Finally, general fatal crashes involving teen drivers increased 22% in 2020 vs 2019.
The best way for teen drivers to protect themselves and their passengers during a crash is to wear their seat belt. Loved ones are being injured or killed by not taking three seconds to buckle up. While many teens may be juggling a busy schedule or feel that buckling up is unnecessary for short trips, speed limits and seat belt laws are put in place to protect all road users within our community. It will take all of us together: government entities, law enforcement entities, faith-based groups, civic groups, educators and each individual member of our respective communities to combat the pressing issue of excessive speed and unrestrained occupants.
Can you become an advocate of decreasing traffic fatalities by educating teen drivers in your communities about the dangers of speeding and the importance of seat belt use? We are providing several resources that you can use to spread the message of "Slow Down" and "Buckle Up".
Thank you for your continued support in working Towards Zero deaths on Virginia roadways.
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