oklahoma teen driver safety week
Oklahoma Teenager Auto Accident Fatalities Down, Safety Still A Concern
Previously, in preparation for Teen Driver Safety Week (October 16 to October 22) we blogged about a program called “Take The Wheel” offered by the AAA Automobile Club designed to help teenagers and parents learn safe driving with a combination of road training and home coursework. According to reporting by News OK, it seems that these kinds of programs that promote education and safety awareness may be making a positive impact.
According to research by the AAA, there were 68 fatalities of people 16 to 20 years of age in all recorded car accidents in Oklahoma in 2010, a significant drop from 2009, 89 fatalities, and an even greater decrease from 2008, which recorded 112 deaths. Along with increased efforts toward education, civic change may also have played a role. Oklahoma’s “graduated driver’s license law” mandates that drivers between 15 and 18 years old are required to drive under family supervision with a learner’s permit for a minimum of six months, which is then followed by an intermediary trial period of another six months before a teenager can become fully and legally licensed.
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Educating Teens on Driver Safety
As state budgets continually tighten, Oklahoma has seen cuts across all sectors. Schools have especially felt the squeeze, and unfortunately key programs such as driver’s education have been shelved. Safe driving has always started at home, but in the current environment it’s extremely important for parents to educate and train teens on the subject. As part of Teen Driver Safety Week, observed from October 16 to October 22, the AAA here in Oklahoma is reminding parents about a tool they can utilize to instill safe driving techniques for their kids.
The program is called “Take the Wheel,” and combines materials to be used by families during home study as well as in behind the wheel training sessions. According to the AAA, the course meets Oklahoma Department of Public Safety (ODPS) certification standards and it counts as legitimate driver’s education credit by the state’s Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) law. It also makes teenagers eligible for discounts honored by the majority of car insurance providers for those completing a driver’s education program.
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