Super Programs
Teens In The Driver Seat
In 2020, motor vehicle crashes were the leading cause of death for 16–25-year-olds in the United States. As part of the statewide response to these troubling statistics, the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC) Young Driver Program adopted Teens in the Driver Seat® (TDS) programming in sixteen high schools statewide in the 2022-23 school year and expansion is expected.
Recognized as a national best-practice model by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Governors Highway Safety Association, and the National Safety Council, TDS uses peer-to-peer influence to bring together young drivers, parents, school administrators, and communities to reduce teen crashes on statewide roadways. An initiative developed by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s Youth Transportation Safety (YTS) Program, TDS addresses both awareness and behavior, using peer pressure as a positive force to promote safe driving habits and reduce the top five risks for teen drivers:1) Night driving2) Speed3) Distraction4) Seat belt use5) Impairment
With many high schools increasing capacity for extracurriculars post-COVID shutdown, Washington Traffic Safety Commission Program Manager Debi Besser anticipates the program will continue to grow and increase traffic safety culture in years to come.
Recognized as a national best-practice model by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Governors Highway Safety Association, and the National Safety Council, TDS uses peer-to-peer influence to bring together young drivers, parents, school administrators, and communities to reduce teen crashes on statewide roadways. An initiative developed by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s Youth Transportation Safety (YTS) Program, TDS addresses both awareness and behavior, using peer pressure as a positive force to promote safe driving habits and reduce the top five risks for teen drivers:1) Night driving2) Speed3) Distraction4) Seat belt use5) Impairment
With many high schools increasing capacity for extracurriculars post-COVID shutdown, Washington Traffic Safety Commission Program Manager Debi Besser anticipates the program will continue to grow and increase traffic safety culture in years to come.
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