PennDOT - Free Highway Safety Programs For Teens
PennDOT Reminds Schools of Free Highway Safety Programs For Teens
PennDOT and its Buckle Up PA (BUPA) program will partner with law enforcement to participate in a Teen Seat Belt Mobilization from Oct. 20 through Oct. 24. This enforcement effort will coincide with National Teen Driver Safety Week, and aims to increase seat-belt use among drivers and passengers under the age of 18.
This initiative is important as traffic crashes continue to be the leading cause of death for Pennsylvania’s young people and two - thirds of all teens killed in crashes each year unbuckled. Providing students with a strong foundation in traffic safety education could be the difference between life and death.
The one-week seat belt mobilization will involve approximately 100 Pennsylvania law enforcement agencies who may contact your district with opportunities to conduct various youth driving activities including: informational sites, surveys, seat-belt checks and other activities on campus.
Some of these activities include in-class programs named “Survival 101” and “Sixteen Minutes.” “Survival 101” is a dynamic 35-to 45-minute multimedia presentation geared toward middle and high school students. It covers unsafe driving practices, crash dynamics, consequences and preventive safety measures. Each session is led by a police officer with first-hand experience, and includes topics like distracted driving with an emphasis on cell phones and texting, as well as aggressive driving and fatigue.
“Sixteen Minutes” is a targeted 16-minute program for students approaching their 16th birthdays. Held in monthly small group sessions, the program gives students a chance to talk personally with a trained law enforcement officer before getting behind the wheel for the first time.
These programs, which are endorsed by PennDOT, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the PA Board of Education, and PA Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), can also coincide with holidays, dances and other special events as an important safety curriculum supplement.
To view a “Survival 101” presentation visit http://www.pasafetyedu.org/Presenters/.
For your local Community Traffic Safety Program Coordinator (CTSP) or Law Enforcement Liaisons (LEL) contact information visit, http://www.buckleuppa.org/Buckle-Up-PA/.
Thank you in advance for your support. BUPA urges you to consider a campus seat belt policy to help change student behavior and save lives. If you have any additional questions on highway safety in Pennsylvania you can reach the PennDOT Press Office at ra-penndotpress@pa.gov.