National Safety Council: June 3-9 Is Teen Driving Safety Week

    ITASCA, Ill., May 21 During Teen Driving Safety Week,
June 3 through 9, the National Safety Council (NSC) will be encouraging
families to adopt a new way of introducing teenagers to the joys -- and risks
-- of driving.  Teen Driving Safety Week is part of the 2001 celebration of
National Safety Month.

    "No matter how well they've prepared them, parents have always had mixed
feelings about handing over the car keys to their newly-licensed teens," Alan
C. McMillan, NSC president, explained.  "On the positive side, the teens'
independence is a pleasure to see.  And the new licenses usually give parents
more independence too, relieving them of a good deal of chauffeuring
responsibilities.  But that's when the worrying starts."

    Unfortunately, parents have good cause to worry. The dismaying fact is
that teen drivers are involved in more motor vehicle crashes than any other
group. Crashes are the leading cause of death for this age group -- in some
years the fatal involvement rate for teen drivers was three times higher than
the overall rate.  Statistically, teens make up less than 7% of the nation's
licensed drivers, but they're involved in 14% of all fatal crashes.

    Teens who ride with teens are also disproportionately vulnerable.
Sixty-five percent of teen passenger deaths occur when another teenager is
behind the wheel.  And darkness presents yet another risk factor:  41% of
fatal crashes involving teenagers occur at nighttime, between 9 p.m. and
6 a.m.

    But getting a driver's license doesn't have to put teenagers -- and their
friends -- at unnecessary risk.  During Teen Driving Safety Week the Council
will focus on helping families increase their teens' safety even while
enjoying the independence that a new license promises.

    In particular, the Council will recommend adopting the standards of
Graduated Driver Licensing, a three-stage process that puts teens behind the
wheel but in lower risk settings so they can get the experience that builds
safe driving practices and attitudes.  More than 25 states have already
incorporated Graduated Driver Licensing (or GDL) into their legal systems.
But, whether "it's the law" or not, the Council is intent on acquainting
families with the principles of GDL and ways they can use it to set practical
boundaries for their teen-age drivers.

    According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there are three stages
to a full graduated system, and beginners must remain in each of the first two
stages for set minimum time periods.  The process begins with a supervised
learner's period, followed by an intermediate license (after the driving test
is passed) limiting unsupervised driving in high-risk situations.  A license
with full privileges is available after the driver completes the first two
stages. The National Committee on Uniform Traffic Laws and Ordinances has
developed a model graduated licensing law, using recommendations from the
IIHS, NHTSA and other national organizations. The model law calls for a
minimum of six months in the learner's stage and six months in the
intermediate stage. Key elements of the intermediate stage include limits on
late-night unsupervised driving and transporting teenage passengers.
Certification that a learner's permit holder has driven a minimum number of
supervised hours is also important.

    Other weeks in National Safety Month focus on home and community safety
(June 10-16), environment and public health (June 17-23), and workplace safety
(June 24-30).  For a comprehensive view of National Safety Month activities
and safety tips, visit the NSC website at http://www.nsc.org/nsm.htm . The
National Safety Council is a not-for-profit, nongovenmental, international
membership organization dedicated to protecting life and promoting health.
The NSC estimates that 4.2 million lives have been saved through improved
safety practices since the Council was established in 1913.