Slow down. Pay attention. Buckle up.
The safe-driving basics taught to teens haven't changed, but state statistics show young drivers still are more likely to be in car crashes than others while less likely to wear seat belts.
"Teen drivers represented only 7 percent of the licensed drivers in Utah in 2005, yet they were involved in 27 percent of all motor vehicle crashes and 18 percent of all fatal crashes," said Gary Mower, spokesman for the Utah Health Department's Violence and Injury Prevention Program.
A statewide campaign to promote seat-belt use found in 2006 that 67 percent of Utah teens buckled up compared with 89 percent of Utahns overall. The Health Department estimates there would have been 58 fewer teen deaths between 2000 and 2004 if those teens would have worn seat belts.
The Utah Teen Driving Task Force — which includes a broad cross section of public safety, school, health and transportation officials — recently compiled a toolkit of information for driver education teachers and others interested in such materials. The campaign is titled "Don't Drive Stupid," with materials found at www.health.utah.gov.
Spokesman Kevin Condra said the task force is working to strengthen its statewide reach and will be enhancing its awareness campaign with new materials scheduled to be released Sept. 13.
"It is only when all Utahns fully realize the dangers on the road and work together to help teens stay safe on the road that we will see the number of deaths and injuries drop," Mower said.
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