DID YOU KNOW - -
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In Alabama, vehicular deaths
account for approximately half of preventable deaths for residents less
than 18 years of age each year.
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Each year approximately
450,000 teens are injured in vehicle crashes, 27,000 are hospitalized, and
5,500 die.
When teen drivers are in school, participating in football or
other sports activities throughout the week and on the weekends,
homecoming festivities and other school activities, and for some students, part
time jobs - it's not surprising that nationally October is the highest
month for teen driver crashes.
Most teens are not aware of the risk of having a passenger in the vehicle
with them. Yet, the presence of just one passenger
doubles the fatal crash risk for a teen driver and the risk increases with each
additional passenger.
In a recent survey conducted by State Farm Insurance, 70% of teen drivers
say they are concerned about being in a wreck or injuring someone yet 57% admit
they text while driving.
Our teens are our future and we need to protect this most valuable asset
by not just strengthening the laws for teen drivers but by setting an example
that distractions while driving can be hazardous to everyone's
health.
VOICES was the lead group in getting the original teen graduated drivers
licensing bill drafted and passed in 2002. Additionally, VOICES
worked with a coalition during the 2010 Legislative Session to strengthen
the current bill. In the 2010 Alabama Kids Count Data Book we are now
seeing a statistical trend that teen deaths are decreasing. Since vehicle
crashes are the leading cause of death we can assume that these policies are
having positive results in protecting our teen drivers.
Resources:
Alabama Department of Public Health - Teen
Driver Safety
Alabama's
Graduated Driver's License Law
The Century Council - Teen Driver Safety
State Farm
- NNID (Not Now, I'm Driving
Campaign)
Teen Driver
Source