Sunday, Oct. 20 marked the beginning of the seventh annual National Teen Driver Safety Week, sponsored in California by the Highway Patrol, Impact Teen Drivers and the state Office of Traffic Safety.

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Sometimes rather than alcohol, it is something simple, like a hamburger, cell phone or lip gloss that could be the cause of a traffic accident or death, because it takes the motorist’s eyes away from the road for even a split second. That split second makes all the difference.

“It only takes a second of inattention behind the wheel to cause a tragedy,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “This week we are dedicated to educating our inexperienced drivers on the dangers of unsafe driving and providing them with the information needed to be safe on our roadways.”

Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death for teens in the United States and OTS staff encourage parents, teens and all motorists to practice safe driving habits.

The theme of this year’s week is “It Takes Two: Shared Expectations for Teens and Parents for Driving,” and encourages parents and trusted adults to help teenagers become safe, skilled drivers.

“National Teen Driver Safety Week is about creating a dialogue about safe and responsible driving behaviors between parents and their teens,” said Chris Cochran, assistant director of the Office of Traffic Safety. “Young drivers are especially vulnerable to injury or death on our roadways and having a dedicated week provides a unique opportunity to broach topics such as proper seat belt use, distracted driving and reckless driving.”

According to 2010 research from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 2,700 teens in the U.S., between 16 and 19 years old, were killed and almost 282,000 were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor vehicle crashes.

Local CHP officers and Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies also stage annual local campaigns for high schoolers on the importance of driving safely and making good life choices.

The Every 15 Minutes program rotates through schools in the William S. Hart Union High School District annually, according to district spokeswoman Gail Pinsker.

The program, which was held at Hart High in February, demonstrates the devastating impact of impaired driving through a live simulation of a fatal collision.

This, just like National Teen Driver Safety Week, serves to drive home to teens the need to take driving seriously.

More traffic safety information is available from the California Office of Traffic Safety, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Impact Teen Drivers.

Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or drop us a line at community@hometownstation.com.

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