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Website provides safe-driving links, information
for young drivers, parents

The first driver’s license is an important milestone for nearly every teenager and cause for great concern among parents because highway safety statistics for young drivers are deadly serious.

Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for U.S. teenagers, accounting for more than one in three deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Per mile driven, teenage drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely than older drivers to crash.

Idaho drivers, ages 19 and under, were involved in two and one-half times as many fatal or injury traffic crashes as should be expected in 2010. This age group comprised nearly six percent of all licensed drivers in the state at that time and represented nearly 15 percent of all drivers involved in fatal and injury crashes.

ITD’s Office of Highway Safety offers young drivers and their parents an online resource promoting safe driving among young adults and provides a way for them to learn more about responsible driving.

The website, at www.idahoteendriving.org, provides resources and articles about safe driving for teenage drivers, young adult drivers, parents and even children, who may one day become drivers.

Site visitors can access links, videos and stories about distracted driving, impaired driving, winter driving, driver’s education, motorcycles, passenger safety, bicycles, pedestrians and even how to change a tire.

“The aim of Idaho Teen Driving is to encourage safe driving among young adults, educate them about risky driving behaviors, and reduce their chances of being in a crash,” said Margaret Goertz, youthful driver program coordinator with the Office of Highway Safety.

Visitors can connect to ITD’s 511 travel information site for the latest road and weather conditions. Links to ITD’s home page, safety statistics, Idaho’s Division of Motor Vehicles and driver education programs at public and commercial schools also are available.

Young people may link to Alive at 25 driver awareness courses taught at locations throughout the state, the Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) website and rider training offered by the Idaho STAR Motorcycle Safety Program.

Lesson plans are available that provide ideas and resources for elementary school educators to teach safety-related transportation practices.