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Community Traffic Safety

Ride Like a Friend


 

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and State Farm Insurance are pleased to announce their peer-to-peer initiative to help teens ride safer when in the car with teen drivers. Their research shows that when a teen driver is behind the wheel that having just one teen passenger doubles the risk of a fatal crash. Having three or more teen passengers quadruples the risk of fatal crashes.

A recent study by CHOP and State Farm found that only 1 in 10 teens thinks that giving a friend a ride makes a difference in whether or not they are safe in a car. This program is designed to help teens learn about the risks they pose to drivers while riding in the car.  It also allows young drivers and passengers an opportunity to learn about how they can make the ride safer for everyone.

Messages for Drivers:

  • Set your rules.
  • Ask for help.
  • Expect respect.
  • If they’re your friends, they should help.

Messages for Passengers:

  • Buckle up.
  • Be there to help (give directions, answer cell phones, etc.)
  • Show respect.
  • If you’re their friend, you should care.

Teen Driver Safety Week was established by Congress in 2007 to bring awareness to the number of teen driver crashes. This year the week long event is October 17 – 23, 2010 just after school starts and when many teens are driving to school.  During Teen Driver Safety Week community advocates are encouraged to work with schools across the country to present safe driving messages on the important role the driver and passengers play while in the car.

To learn more about this program or how you can work with young drivers to share this important message at a school near you, please contact Charity Sturgeon.

Reminder of Oregon’s Graduated Licensing Passenger Restrictions. These restrictions apply to drivers 16 and 17 years old (adopted in March, 2000):

  • First six months of the license – prohibits carrying any passengers under the
  • age of 20, unless they are an immediate family member
  • Second six months of the license - no more than three passengers under
  • the age of 20, unless they are an immediate family member

Oregon Crash Statistics

For crashes reported from 2004-2009, these numbers illustrate when a driver 16 – 18 years old was reported using a cell phone at the time of the crash:

  • 5 fatalities
  • 201 injuries
  • 109 crashes

For detailed reports refer to the downloadable forms to the right of this article.

Reports from ODOT Crash Analysis and Reporting