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Rep. Dent Introduces Resolution to Help Combat Teen Driver Deaths
U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent (PA-15) and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D- PA) joined with more than 50 cosponsors today to introduce bipartisan resolutions in Congress that would establish the third week in October as National Teen Driver Safety Week.
The introduction of the resolution follows several tragic and highly-publicized accidents involving Pennsylvania high school students. In 2005, 7,500 drivers between the ages of 15 and 20 years were involved in fatal crashes throughout the United States; of these, 221 occurred in Pennsylvania. The majority of these crashes can be attributed to driver error or speeding.
“The time has come for us to recognize this terrible problem by encouraging the development and communication of effective interventions that will help reduce accidents involving teen drivers and enable these beloved children to continue to their destinations safely,” said Congressmen Dent. “This resolution designates a week where intensive programming will be used to encourage teens to drive more safely.”
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation:
- From 2001 through 2005, there were 58,148 crashes involving 16- and 17- year old drivers in Pennsylvania.
- From 2001 through 2005, there were 496 fatalities involving 16- and 17- year old drivers in Pennsylvania (meaning that a 16- or 17- year old was driving when there was a fatality to a passenger, pedestrian, or occupant of another vehicle).
- In 2005 alone, there were a total of 321 teen driver related deaths among drivers under age 20 in Pennsylvania.
- In 2005, Lehigh County lost eight teen drivers younger than 20 years old. In 2005, 13 of 67 counties in Pennsylvania reported six or more teen driver deaths.
To view the rest of the article please visit dent.house.gov.
More about the latest research on teen driving, along with safe driving recommendations for teens and their parents are available at www.chop.edu/youngdrivers.
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