Canutillo High School uses school spirit to sell safety

Canutillo High School, one of the newest schools to adopt the Teens in the Driver Seat program, is using school spirit to spread the word about the dangers of teen driving.

At football games, students of CHS set up TDS banners and hand out fliers to spectators. They also give class presentations to their peers on the five major risks. TDS students at Canutillo High School work with Texas Association of Future Educators (a group that allows students to explore the teaching profession).

The Texas Transportation Institute recently assessed students from Canutillo High School on teenage driving habits and the dangers associated with teen driving.

The assessment revealed that 67 percent listed talking on cell phones or texting as a major crash-risk factor, even though 8 percent reported frequently talking on their cell phones while driving and 18 percent said they have read or sent text messages while driving. This means that most teens from Canutillo High School know that cell phones are a driving distraction, but still use them while in the driver’s seat.

Driving at night is the number-one crash-causing risk, yet only one percent of those who were asked identified driving at night as a major crash-risk factor.

Every year almost 6,000 teens die in car crashes, making them the number-one cause of death for that age group. Educating teens on the dangers involved can increase awareness and keep them safer.