Amador County - An upcoming Teen Driver Night will look to make parents and teens aware of the many trials and tribulations involved with teen driving and encourage parent involvement.

Sponsored by Amador Teen Driver, the event will feature presentations from Amador County Health Officer Dr. Bob Hartmann, 4th year Medical Student Dan Stein, CHP Officer Craig Harmon, Anne Lintz of State Farm Insurance, Tina Wurzburger and a representative of the Amador County Narcotics Office. It will include a raffle grand prize of one behind the wheel session at Gold Country Driving School as the grand prize. Two winners will be drawn at the event.

“Our goal is to help parents and teens understand the many issues surrounding the pressures on the teen driver as well as offer safety ideas and tips,” said Anne Lintz. “It is clear that the more parents involve themselves in the activities of their teen drivers, the fewer accidents occur.”

National teen driving statistics show motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among 15-20 year-olds. 16-year-olds have higher crash rates than drivers of any other age.16-year-olds are also three times more likely to die in a motor vehicle crash than the average of all drivers. In total, 2,739 drivers between the ages of 15 and 20 died in motor vehicle crashes in 2008, down 13.7 percent from 3,174 in 2007 and down 20.2 percent from 3,431 in 1998. In 2006 when the latest data was available, crashes involving 15-17-year-olds cost more than $34 billion nationwide in medical treatment, property damage and other costs, according to an American Automobile Association (AAA) analysis.

The Teen Driver Night is open to both current and future drivers. Extra credit will be provided in many classes for attendance. It takes place Wednesday, Oct. 20 from 7-8:30 pm in the multipurpose room at Argonaugt High School. For more information, please contact Anne Lintz at 223-1631.

Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.