Putting a halt to teen driving deaths is the goal of a new program that will be introduced today at the State Capitol. It's called Impact Teen Drivers. Educators, law enforcement and families of teens who have died in car crashes are supporting the bill. Videos, pictures and an education program for California's high school sophomores will be available online and are designed to reduce injuries and save teens' lives. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell will introduce the program at the State Capitol at 10 a.m. in preparation for teen driving safety week which kicks off next Monday.
According to national statistics, traffic collisions are the leading cause of deaths among American teens. In fact, a teen dies in a car crash somewhere in the U.S. every 70 minutes. California Highway Patrol officers say inexperience makes teens more vulnerable to car crashes. Teens have quick reaction times, but often aren't focused enough on driving. "A lot of times teens are distracted," says Seargent Kinoshita of the CHP. "Cell phones, texting while driving, all dangerous for anybody but especially inexperienced teen drivers." The educational website tailored for High School Sophmores can be found online at http://www.impactteendrivers.org.