Gear Up for National Teen Driving Safety Week

The leading cause of death in teenagers is fatal car accidents–one third due to driving under the influence, one third to not wearing a seat belt, and another third to . Teenagers have three times the fatalities in accidents as well.

“The consequences are preventable,” California Highway Patrol Officer Sarah Jackson said. Jackson presented information to Scotts Valley High School and San Lorenzo Valley High School last week in the “Impact Teen Drivers” program, which featured Martha Townsend in video and live speaking about the loss of her son to make the consequences real for teenage drivers.

“Teenagers don’t want to be talked at, they want to be talked to,” Jackson said about how to make an impact. “They want to be engaged.” 

So Jackson uses small groups and peer-to-peer relationships to get the message across.

Officer Jackson will conduct another presentation, “Start Smart,” for teenaged drivers and their guardians on Oct. 20, from 6-8:30 p.m., in the Santa Cruz Police Department’s Community Room.

The topics include the consequences of the privilege to drive, sound decision-making, and collision avoidance. In a state where driving classes are not part of the school curriculum but are completed through private lessons or in some cases online, extra education and information could mean life or death.

For more information on the upcoming Start Smart class, contact Officer Sara Jackson at 831-662-0511.