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October 21-27 was National Teen Driver Safety Week, but safe driving is important all of the time. As part of the safety week events, various organizations came together to provide local high school students education on safe driving habits. Williamson, Mansfield, and Liberty High Schools all participated the Teen Safe Driver Event sponsored by Safe Kids PA / Tioga County Partnership for Community Health (TCPCH) and Shell Appalachia.

At the events, students engage in various activities at a number of stations hosted by TCPCH, PennDOT Highway Safety, Human Services, AmeriHealth Caritas Northeast, State Farm, Geisinger Trauma Care, and UPMC Susquehanna. Some of the activities include: the wheel of misfortune, goggles that simulate intoxicated vision, driving simulators, and a seat belt safety selfie booth. Students can also sign a pledge to not text and drive, observe the PennDOT memorial along with a PennDOT truck showing the dangers of blind spots with their trucks. Students also listen to the Survival 101 presentation which discusses the primary causes of most fatal collisions. If the students go to each station and sign the pledge card, they can enter to win prizes of either $100, $50 or $25 Amazon gift cards.

Primary areas of concern with young drivers are distracted driving, impaired driving, speed and use of seat belts. Distracted driving includes texting while driving and extra passengers in a vehicle. Impaired driving could be alcohol, illegal drugs, prescription medications or over the counter medications. Inexperience and speed are common factors in teen fatal crashes. And finally, the importance of wearing your seat belt every time you’re in the vehicle. Seat belt use increases your odds of surviving a crash by 60%.

Vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers and these crashes have a significant effect on families and communities. It is our hope that with a little extra education on safe driving that we can help to reduce these fatal crashes.