New Publication Takes In-Depth Look at Improving Teen Driver Safety

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WASHINGTON, D.C. -- What to do about teen driving? That'sthe question a new publication released today by the Governors Highway SafetyAssociation (GHSA) attempts to answer. Developed with a grant from State Farm®,Curbing Teen Driver Crashes: An In-Depth Look at State Novice DriverInitiatives comes on the heels of MAP-21, the newly enacted surfacetransportation funding law, which includes incentive programs that rewardstates for high performance in a number of areas, including - for the firsttime - teen driving.
The publication, a follow-up to GHSA's 2010 Protecting TeenDrivers: A Guidebook for State Highway Safety Offices, takes a detailed look atwhat states are doing to address teen driver safety in six key areas:
•             StrengtheningGraduated Driver License (GDL) laws to ensure state have essential elementsthat address crash risk and skill building•             Ensuringunderstanding and enforcement of GDL laws by police officials•             Engagingparents in understanding, supporting and enforcing GDL laws•             Strengtheningdriver education and training•             Engagingteens in understanding and addressing driving risks•             Garneringconsistent media coverage of teen driving
While states have made significant progress in reducing teendriving deaths, a GHSA report with preliminary data issued in February 2012found that through the first half of 2011, deaths involving 16- and 17-year-olddrivers had increased 11 percent over the previous year. This is significantsince deaths involving teen drivers have been steadily declining over the past8 years at a rate higher than any other age group on the road.
"There is no doubt that states have been workingdiligently to help teens survive their most dangerous driving years, asevidenced by the gains they've made in reducing teen driver crashes, injuriesand fatalities," said GHSA Executive Director Barbara Harsha, who oversawthe development of this newest teen driving publication. "But there isconcern that these gains may be leveling off. GHSA encourages states and teendriving safety advocates across the nation to review the initiatives and keyelements for success identified in the report and leverage them to ensure theneedle continues to move in the right direction."
"The results from this latest report show that keepingteen drivers safe on the road is an ongoing and collaborative issue," saidKellie Clapper, Assistant Vice President of Public Affairs for State Farm."As a leader in auto safety, State Farm is committed to working with GHSAand other safety organizations to keep our teens safe on the road."
The programs and initiatives detailed in the publication,which was researched and written by transportation safety consultant and formerNew Jersey State Highway Safety Office Director Pam Fischer, were identifiedthrough a survey of State Highway Safety Offices conducted by GHSA in August2011. Additionally, an expert panel was convened to share their insightsregarding new, cutting edge and/or exemplary activities that are showing or areexpected to show promising results.
Expert panel members included: Christy Adams, UC DavisMedical Center; Chuck Conroy, Governor's Traffic Safety Committee, New York;Troy Costales, Oregon Department of Transportation, Safety Division; VickiHarper, State Farm; Russell Henk, Texas Transportation Institute; JustinMcNaull, AAA; Ruth Shults and Erin Sauber-Schatz, Centers for Disease Controland Prevention; and Jim Wright, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The views and recommendations in the publication do notnecessarily reflect those of State Farm or the individuals or organizationsrepresented on the Expert Panel. Printed copies of the publication will be sentto every GHSA Member and Associate Member. A PDF version is available online atwww.ghsa.org. A limited number of print copies are available and may berequested via email by contacting jadkins@ghsa.org.
# # # The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA)® is anonprofit association representing the highway safety offices of states,territories, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. GHSA provides leadershipand representation for the states and territories to improve traffic safety,influence national policy, enhance program management and promote bestpractices. Its members are appointed by their Governors to administer federaland state highway safety funds and implement state highway safety plans.Contact GHSA at 202-789-0942 or visit www.ghsa.org. Find us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/GHSAhq. Follow us on Twitter at @GHSAHQ.