ANALYSIS
Student Transporters Play a Role in Promoting Safe Teen Driving
Teen driving is a public health epidemic. More than 86,000 people were killed in crashes involving drivers ages 15 to 20 from 2000 to 2010.
By John Ulczycki
More than 49,000 of these victims were people other than the young drivers — passengers of the teen driver, other motorists and their passengers, and pedestrians. Many Americans wrongly believe most of these crashes were due mainly to teen driver risk-
taking. Tis belief is standing in the way of understanding the real problem and effective solutions. Te principal cause of crashes for new drivers is inexperience. Teens get in many kinds of crashes
that most adults do not because of basic inexperience. New teen drivers get in more crashes turn- ing left or exiting from parking lots, for example, because they do not adequately assess the gap in vehicles allowing them to safely make a turn or exit. Teens get in crashes because they don’t prop- erly scan the roadway ahead and anticipate hazards or prepare to brake until it’s too late. Tis basic hazard scanning is something most adults have done instinctively for years. Tose who work closely with teens should have an understanding of teen drivers’ vulnerability
and inexperience. Tey can use this knowledge to craft effective actions to reduce teens’ risk of be- ing in a crash. But teens aren’t waiting for adults to take action. Tey are taking action themselves. In May, teens across the country took action during National Youth Traffic Safety Month by
holding school assemblies, running safety checkpoints at school parking lot entrances and exits, distributing fact and tip sheets and hosting contests and games. Te Allstate Foundation awarded monetary prizes to schools that participated in the most activities. Meanwhile, Teen Safe Driving Coalitions in 10 states, managed by the National Safety Council and funded by Te Allstate Foun- dation, helped teens and advisors plan and execute those exercises. School officials could consider implementing programs at their school where knowledge is shared by and for teens. National Youth Traffic Safety Month and other grass-roots efforts help draw attention to the fact
that car crashes are the No. 1 killer of teens. School district leaders can use the summer months to enact change to help prevent these crashes.
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School districts could explore how to market school bus transportation so it is more appealing. ❞
Tere are several actions educators can take. School officials might consider rescinding school
parking privileges for teen drivers who violate the state’s Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL). Most often, school officials may see newly licensed teens transporting other teen passengers, not wearing seat belts or using cell phones while driving — all violations of most states’ GDL laws. Many teens with access to a vehicle stop taking the school bus to and from school when they get
their license, or they carpool with friends. But when teens stop riding the bus and begin carpooling with other teens, they incur much greater risk of being in a crash. Today, 45 states and D.C. recog- nize the risks of passengers by prohibiting newly licensed drivers from carrying them. Te dangers of cell phone use and texting while driving are well known and 32 states have enacted laws prohibit- ing newly licensed teens from any phone use while driving. Since teens place a premium on the newfound freedom of having a driver’s license, a school
parking pass becomes a coveted item. If schools required teens to be law-abiding while driving to and from school, they are reducing the likelihood that teens will be involved in a serious car crash. Te purpose of such a policy is not to punish, but to protect. Educators who are aware of these
risks for teen drivers but choose to ignore them are unintentionally creating an environment that may be dangerous for teens going to and from school. Tis enforcement of GDL on and off school property is a natural complement to the actions of local law enforcement on public streets. In some states, local law enforcement and educators are
50 School Transportation News Magazine June 2012
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