Teen Traffic Deaths Drop in Illinois
Illinois state officials are crediting Ford Motor Company Fund's Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) teen safe driving program for helping reduce the state's teen auto fatalities by 61 percent so far in 2008.
State officials attribute this dramatic reduction to a comprehensive approach, including driving instruction.
As part of this strong commitment to driver education, Ford Motor Company Fund, the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) will provide several Illinois schools across the state the opportunity to participate in intensive DSFL ride and drive events that teach hands-on vehicle safety.
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Teen vehicle safety is a serious issue. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for persons ages 15 to 20. Teen drivers, mile to mile, are in three times as many fatal crashes as all other drivers. Nearly 7,000 teens die annually in traffic crashes, including 155 teen fatalities in Illinois during 2006.
Central Illinois was the site of one of the very first Illinois DSFL programs, launched in Tazewell County in early 2007. Between March 2005 and July 2006, 15 teens lost their lives in auto accidents in the county. In response, Operation Teen Safe Driving, a DSFL program, was launched at the Tazewell County Youth Conference on March 13, 2007.
Starting on Monday, May 12 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, DSFL will be holding three ride and drive events across the state. The events go well beyond typical driver education courses as students will improve their driving skills in hazard recognition, vehicle handling, speed management and space management - the four areas Ford research shows lead to more than 60 percent of teen traffic crashes.
The two-month contest challenged all seven county high schools to develop the best and most comprehensive safe driving community campaign. Each school was given a $3,000 budget to conduct their program, with additional prizes going to the first, second and third place schools. Teen fatalities dropped dramatically after the comprehensive program.
Milton R. Sees, Secretary of the Illinois Department of Transportation, commented, "Safe driving is everyone's responsibility. The collaboration between students, parents, law enforcement, advocacy organizations, and corporate partners has produced a positive outcome, starting in Tazewell County and now statewide with Operation Teen Safe Driving. We're proud to be a part of this innovative program that prepares young drivers in Illinois and results in safer roadways."
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