The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that nationwide in 2015, 1,972 drivers, age 15-18, were involved in fatal collision, resulting in 1,730 teen deaths nationwide. In 2015, in California, 283 teens were behind the wheel at the time of fatal collisions, and 63 percent of those young drivers were at fault.
Start Smart is a driver safety education class that targets new and future licensed drivers between the ages of 15-19 and their parents/guardians. The next class offered by the Susanville office of the CHP will be held January 31st, from 6:00 to 8:00p.m., at the CHP office, 472-400 Diamond Crest Road.
The class covers such topics as the safe driving practices, the rules of t he road and new driver license requirements. The class is free and funding is provided by the Office of Traffic Safety, Start Smart Teen Driver Safety Education Grant.
Inexperience is one of the leading causes of teen collisions. The most important thing you can do for your new teen driver is to stay involved in their driving life. Frequent drives with teens allow parents and guardians to monitor their teen’s progress and reduce their being involved in deadly behaviors, such as: alcohol consumption, driving without seat belts, speeding, carrying extra passengers, and driving distracted.
“Cell phone use continues to be a serious and often deadly distraction for all drivers, but it’s a significant problem among young, inexperienced drivers,” said Rhonda Craft, Director of the California Office of Traffic Safety. “If you’re a parent, guardian, or mentor to a teen driver, lead by example and encourage them to put the phone down and focus on the road. No text message or social media post is more valuable than their lives or the lives of others around them.”
The CHP has released a mobile application for Start Smart, designed to assist young people through the process of obtaining their California driver license. The app includes a step-by-step guide covering everything from the Department of Motor Vehicles Driver Handbook and the final steps for obtaining a provisional license, to ultimately achieving an unrestricted California driver license.
For more information contact CHP Public Information Officer Kristen Wilburn at 252-1800.
