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Office of Highway Safety helps kick off National Teen Safety Week at Middleton game

ITD's Office of Highway Safety kicked off National Teen Driver Safety Week at the Middleton-Skyview (Nampa) high school football game Oct. 13. OHS was there to discuss safe-driving habits with teens and parents at the game. More than 500 overall attended the event.

Ken Corder, Public Information, Education and Outreach Coordinator with the Office of Highway Safety, met with 200 folks during the event, at the invitation of the Middleton Mayor's Youth Advisory Council.

Teen drivers are definitely in a risky category of drivers," said Corder. "They represent just 6% of those behind the wheel, but are involved in 22% of crashes."

An estimated 99,000 teenage drivers of passenger vehicles were injured in motor-vehicle traffic crashes nationwide. Motor-vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the United States - ahead of all other types of injury, disease or violence.

Parents can help protect their teen drivers by talking with them about risky behaviors. Surveys show that teens whose parents set firm rules for driving typically engage in less risky driving habits and are involved in fewer crashes.

In addition to the football game, OHS was involved Oct. 18 with a Twitter "Town Hall" chat hosted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, and shared messaging related to the safety themes through social media and email blast all week long.

Pictured (L to R):
Middleton Police Chief Takeuchi, Middleton PD Officer Michael Barley, members of the Middleton Mayor's Youth Advisory Council, Middleton City Administrator Becky Crofts.