Annual Teen Driver Safety Week is upon us! And if you’re wondering how to make the most of it this year, buckle up—we’ve got some cool, new opportunities coming your way! But first, here is a little background on our teen driver safety initiative, Teens in the Driver Seat:
In collaboration with the Georgia Department of Transportation, Safe Kids Georgia offers middle and high schools the Teens in the Driver Seat® (TDS) program which is a peer-to-peer safety program for America’s youth. This year- long safe driving program focuses on traffic safety and addresses all major risks for this age group. Student groups are provided with all the project resources needed to increase awareness at their school.
Check out some of the upcoming leadership opportunities that students, parents, and teachers can all get involved in:
TAKE PART IN “ZERO CRAZY!”
Zero Crazy! is a 3-week intervention that takes place every semester involving interactive activities and a messaging campaign as well as pre- and post-assessments to measure the students’ improvement. During the fall, Zero Crazy! emphasizes seat belt use, and during the spring, distracted driving is its focus. There are several initiatives offered to schools who successfully complete the program and submit their report. This semester’s deadline is December 13th so act now before it’s too late! Click here to learn more.
ORDER A “RIDE WITH ME” KIT
Ride With Me is a teen-to-parent initiative to help reduce teen driver crashes. Middle and high school students are eligible to participate, and these kits can be ordered at any time. The kits contain resources designed to help students promote safe driving skills in their schools, a parent-teen agreement to engage the parents in their child’s learning, and state-specific informational brochures. How it works:
- Active schools may sign up to participate.
- Order a Ride With Me kit to receive the guidelines and materials.
- Students enlist willing parents.
- Submit completed activity form to earn points!
To read more about the Ride With Me kit, visit the TDS website.
REGISTER FOR THE 2019 TDS SUMMIT
This year’s summit takes place December 7th-9th in San Marcos, TX. This is one of many great opportunities for teens, teachers, and safety professionals to take advantage of. The summit is designed to build alliances and spread awareness about teen driving dangers. There will be plenty of engaging workshops, interactive learning experiences, and awards to recognize student leaders in this area. You don’t want to miss it! Click here to register and to learn more.
To become a 2019-20 Middle or High School participant, follow these 3 easy steps:
1. Access the Teens in the Driver’s Seat® Registration form for Middle Schools or for High Schools.
2. Be sure to click SUBMIT to send over your form.
3. Once your registration form is received, your free educational kit will be sent to school.
This post was prepared by Safe Kids Georgia Intern Annie Ndolo.
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