Teens in the Driver Seat® and El Paso Police Dept. Partner to Bring Teen Driver Safety Events to Greater El Paso Schools

On January 27, Pebble Hills High School hosted a teen driver safety event to educate awaiting and beginner drivers on the risks they face on the road and behind the wheel.

Traffic safety education remains vital. Teen drivers are twice as likely to be involved in a fatal crash as their adult counterparts, and crash deaths increased nearly 10 percent in 2015 for the youngest drivers in Texas.

The El Paso Police Department (EPPD) Safe Communities is joining Teens in the Driver Seat® (TDS) on an ongoing community initiative aimed at reducing the incidences of teenage automobile crashes, injuries and fatalities in El Paso, Texas, by assisting school divisions and communities in the development to educate, promote awareness, collaborate strategies and to convene a multidisciplinary, citywide effort that focuses on teen driving safety.

TDS, a peer-to-peer program focusing on the prevention of teen motor vehicle crashes—the leading cause of injury and death for teens in the United States—helps students learn about the risks they face behind the wheel and supports them in spreading safe driving messages to their school and community.

So far EPPD and TDS have brought interactive safe driver education to El Dorado High School, Valle Verde Early College High School and Center for Career & Technology Education reaching potentially over 4,000 teens. Students have the opportunity to try DWI and big rig driving simulators, receive safety lessons, and participate in other interactive activities that help retain the safe driving message.

To keep the momentum going there are plans to hold events at Fabens High School and Riverside Middle School next week.

For more information on how to get Teens in the Driver Seat to your school, contact your regional representative.