According to the Centers for Disease Control, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teenagers — accounting for over 6,000 fatalities per year and 36% of all deaths in that age group.
As someone who relies on the care and skill of all drivers I share the road with, those numbers are a bit disconcerting.
The good news is that a recent nationwide survey by Allstate Insurance found that the Portland metro area was among the top-ten least deadliest for teen drivers.
Allstate conducted a nationwide safe teen driving campaign earlier this spring that studied federal crash statistics, Allstate claims data on teen collisions, and U.S. Census bureau statistics to examine the frequency of fatal crashes involving teens down to the local level around the country.
Read more about the results here.
Sharon White, with the City of Portland’s Community and Schools Traffic Safety Partnership, says that’s no fluke. “Many of our CSTSP partners are actively working with young drivers and their parents to reduce transportation injuries and fatalities involving teen drivers.”
She points to several programs and services that have had an impact on making our streets safer by educating teen drivers:
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Legacy Emanuel Hospital
Graduated Driver’s Licensing Workshops – A free three-hour workshop focused on familiarizing youth and their parents with the graduated licensing law (GDL) and other traffic laws and how to use the laws effectively. For high school freshman and sophomores with their parents.
Family Driver Education – Offered to school driver’s education teachers to serve at Parent Night to meet the ODOT requirement of parent involvement.
Bike Wheels to Steering Wheel – The curriculum for middle school students and science classes links science and safety by exploring how Newton’s Laws connect with traffic safety principles.
Minor in Possession (For youth under age 18) – A 4-hour hospital-based class for youth cited in juvenile court for Minor in Possession (MIP), open container or other drug related offenses and their parents. The class includes education about the science to support the drinking law remaining at age 21 and the consequences of making bad choices while under the influence.
Not My Kid Campaign – Two hour panel presentation with collaboration of local law enforcement, health expert and community representatives from insurance industry, legal representatives, school alcohol/ tobacco/ drug counselor and students join a family educator to provide awareness education about hazards, consequences and liability when good kids mix alcohol and other drugs with driving or recreation. Designed for middle and high school students with their parents.
Multnomah County Courts and Legacy Emanuel Hospital
Share The Road Safety Class – This class (a partnership between Multnomah County Courts and Legacy Emanuel Hospital) was developed for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists who have received a citation for being in the wrong place on the road (such as a car in a bicycle lane), failure to yield the right of way and/or defective equipment or non-use of safety equipment, focuses on traffic law and safety issues as they relate to bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists needing to share the public right-of-way in a safe and lawful manner.
Portland Public Schools
Driver Education – A driver education course is offered at five locations for Portland Public School students age 15 to 18. The course, approved by the state Department of Transportation, runs from 30 hours, plus six hours behind the wheel and six hours of in-car observation. Cost is $249.
I have worked with Ms. White and many of her colleagues at the City of Portland and at partnering agencies and organizations. I can say from experience that they are some of most dedicated people you will ever meet and we all owe them our gratitude and thanks.
As the results of this comprehensive report show, their work is making an important impact on the safety of our streets.
— Download the Executive Summary of “Allstate America’s Teen Driving Hotspots” Study here (576kb, PDF)
— Visit Community and Schools Traffic Safety Partnership website.