The Ohio State Highway Patrol has partnered with the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) to roll out a new teen driver safety program, You Are In Control. The program – which debuted today at the OHSAA Charity Game at Cleveland Browns Stadium – focuses on helping teen drivers understand the responsibility, awareness and safety aspects associated with driving.
Teen drivers remain Ohio’s most at risk groups when it comes to becoming involved in a traffic crash. In 2011, 161 young adult drivers, between the ages of 16-20, were involved in fatal traffic crashes on Ohio’s roadways. This is compared to 160 fatal crashes in 2010 and 177 in 2009.
The program was created to educate Ohio high school students and student-athletes about the dangers new-drivers face, as well as the importance of decision making and reminding students that they are in control when behind the wheel. This new program provides the Patrol the opportunity to address a variety of teen traffic safety issues including speed, underage OVI, inattention, safety belts and teen driving laws.
As part of this program, participating high schools will be given safety materials, such as posters, messaging for morning and game-time announcements, banners and a large stencil of the program’s logo for use in and around school property.
The Patrol also plans to connect to Ohio teens though the use of a You Are In Control Facebook page. This page will also be used to encourage peer-to-peer participation and engagement. Teens are asked to visit www.facebook.com/teendriversareincontrol and tell their story regarding teen driver safety.
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