Partnership to promote road safety for teen drivers
Ohio Traffic Safety Office and the Ohio High School Athletic Association aim to raise awareness about the resources available to help teens drive safely.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced a partnership between the Ohio Traffic Safety Office and the Ohio High School Athletic Association to raise awareness about the resources available to help teens drive safely.
“We want everyone on the road to make it home safely. If we put teens in controlled driving situations before they face them in real time, they will be better prepared to navigate the road safely,” DeWine said. “Inexperience behind the wheel is a major factor in crashes for new drivers. Giving our young people more opportunities to practice making good driving decisions will prevent crashes and save lives.”
OTSO houses the Teach Your Teen to Drive website, which includes links to short videos for teens to learn how to safely enter and exit a highway, change lanes, and manage intersections. Other links feature a guide with tips and tricks to prepare for behind-the-wheel practice, Ohio driving laws and requirements, and a tool to help families track their progress and record which driving environment their teens need more practice with.
In 2019 DeWine launched a statewide virtual driver assessment program, Ready, Test, Drive!, to better equip Ohio’s new drivers with skills to safely navigate the roads. Additionally, by executive order in 2020, he created the Ohio Traffic Safety Council of federal, state and local partners to focus on ways to make Ohio’s roadways safer by using proven education, engineering, enforcement, emergency response and public policy countermeasures.
The OTSO/OHSAA partnership builds on DeWine’s initiative by raising awareness during the boys and girls district, regional and state basketball tournament games and sectional, district and state wrestling tournaments. TYTTD messages will be included in programs, on parking passes and tickets, during public address announcements, and on signs and banners during the sporting events. The goal of this campaign is to create an open conversation between teens, parents and other family members on the importance of road safety.
“We are proud to partner with the governor and the Ohio Traffic Safety Office on this important safety initiative,” OHSAA executive director Doug Ute said. “We are committed to get this message in front of as many teens and their families as possible. As teens are learning to drive, this safety program will help save lives.”
Crashes are the leading cause of death among young drivers age 15-20 nationally. In Ohio young drivers age 15-25 represent almost 30% of deaths and 35% of serious injuries each year. This age group is more likely to be involved in fatal and serious crashes because they lack driving experience and tend to take greater risks.