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Youth

Safe Teen Driving: A Top Concern for Governors Highway Safety Association

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

As National Teen Driver Safety Week takes place from October 16-22, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) is drawing attention to the critical issue of safe teen driving. Despite a decline in teen traffic deaths, there were still over 730,000 young drivers ages 15-18 involved in police-reported crashes in 2009, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. To address this problem, GHSA has partnered with Ford Motor Company Fund on its Ford Driving Skills for Life (Ford DSFL) program, which has been utilized by over 40 state highway safety agencies to reduce teen crashes and fatalities.

Key Takeaways:

  • Teen traffic deaths remain the number one cause of death for teenagers in the U.S.
  • Over 730,000 young drivers ages 15-18 were involved in police-reported crashes in 2009.
  • GHSA has partnered with Ford Motor Company Fund on its Ford Driving Skills for Life (Ford DSFL) program.
  • The program has been utilized by over 40 state highway safety agencies to reduce teen crashes and fatalities.
  • 2011 was the most active year in the program's history, with over 30 cities participating in the 30-City Tour.
  • The tour was a result of a $1 million commitment from Ford to expand its award-winning teen driving program.
  • Students participated in high-tech, hands-on trainings at their high schools, including driving simulators and safe driving behavior education.
  • The New York Governor's Traffic Safety Committee is utilizing a $20,000 Ford DSFL grant to educate teens on Long Island about safe driving.
  • GHSA is continuing its long-standing relationship with State Farm to promote best practices and strengthen state highway safety programs.
  • GHSA issued a new publication, "Protecting Teen Drivers: A Guidebook for State Highway Safety Offices," which provides examples of policies and programs to ensure teen driver safety.

Statistics:

  • Teen traffic deaths remain the number one cause of death for teenagers in the U.S.
  • Over 730,000 young drivers ages 15-18 were involved in police-reported crashes in 2009.
  • The Ford Driving Skills for Life (Ford DSFL) program has been utilized by over 40 state highway safety agencies to reduce teen crashes and fatalities.
  • 2011 was the most active year in the program's history, with over 30 cities participating in the 30-City Tour.
  • The tour was a result of a $1 million commitment from Ford to expand its award-winning teen driving program.
  • $20,000 Ford DSFL grant has been provided to the New York Governor's Traffic Safety Committee to educate teens on Long Island about safe driving.

Sources:

  • Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA)
  • AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety
  • Ford Motor Company Fund
  • State Farm
  • The Allstate Foundation
  • AT&T
  • The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA)[R] is a nonprofit association representing the highway safety offices of states, territories, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

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