Prom Updates
[06/2/2008]
Learning to drive and obtaining a driver’s license is a major rite of passage for teens. It is a time of exciting possibilities. It is also a time of grave risk.
Studies show that teen driving is the leading cause of death for teenagers. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data show that more than 300,000 teens are injured in car crashes each year. Nearly 8,000 are involved in fatal crashes and more than 3,500 are killed. NHTSA research also shows that teen drivers are involved in more than five times as many fatal crashes as adults.
While these numbers are staggering, from 2000 to 2006, in Georgia alone 1,279 teenagers were killed in motor vehicle accidents.
The potential for teens to be involved in motor vehicle accidents increases exponentially during the summer months when teens and young adults are out of school. The Ad Council’s Atlanta Leadership Committee and the Georgia chapter of SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) are working together to put the breaks on these alarming statistics by promoting the Ad Council’s UR the Spokesperson campaign aimed at saving lives by reducing youth reckless driving.
With the message “Speak Up,” the UR the Spokesperson campaign was designed to reach young adults between the age 15 and 21, encouraging them to speak up when they are in the car with friends and do not feel safe. The campaign seeks to increase awareness about the dangers of reckless driving and educate teens on how to be safer drivers by focusing on safe speeds, avoiding distractions, wearing seat belts, and the differences associated with driving SUVs.
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Be Safe & Smart at your Georgia Prom in 2008
Prom season is an exciting time in teens’ lives, but it’s also a peak season for traffic accidents and fatalities involving young drivers under the influence. Recognizing that nearly half of the traffic crash fatalities among 15-20 year olds during weekends around prom are alcohol related, GOHS and TEAM Georgia are working to keep the 2008 prom season safe as well as exciting by educating young drivers about the importance of sober driving and responsible celebrations.
To that end, GOHS and TEAM Georgia, a safe and sober driving coalition of Atlanta professional sports teams and players, business and civic leaders, political officials and concerned citizens, are launching the Safe Prom Campaign to help prevent unnecessary tragedies on Georgia’s roads.
With the support of QuikTrip and Checker TEAM Georgia is distributing 9,000 wallet-sized tip sheets to young drivers, informing them of Georgia DUI laws and urging them to stay safe and sober on the road. Distributed to schools across the metro-Atlanta area, the teen driving cards can also be picked up at QuikTrip stations and found on the TEAM Georgia website, www.teamgeorgia.net.
An important component of the Safe Prom campaign is a free ride program. Rather than putting their safety at risk, metro-Atlanta teens who find themselves in need of a safe ride home on prom night can call campaign partner Checker Cab for a free ride, 404-351-1111.
“Impaired driving has turned too many prom nights into tragedies,” said Maria Strollo, chairwoman of TEAM Georgia. “By educating teens about the consequences of driving under the influence, and by offering them a safe ride home, TEAM Georgia is saving lives.”
For more than 20 years, TEAM Georgia has spread awareness about the dangers of impaired driving and provided tips to keep Georgians safe on the state’s roads and waterways. TEAM Georgia’s programs include the wintertime Safe Holiday campaign, in which participating Atlanta restaurants provide non-alcoholic drinks to designated drivers and taxi service for the intoxicated, the Safe Boating Program, and the Designated Driver Booth Program at area sporting and cultural venues. For more information on the Safe Prom Campaign, contact TEAM Georgia at 404-261-6053 or visit www.teamgeorgia.net.
Got a prom or high school story or information you'd like to share? Let us know at mmontgomery@gohs.ga.gov.
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