October 15, 2007

A group of teenage drivers will have the opportunity to receive behind-the-wheel experience with Michigan State Police (MSP) driving instructors this spring, with funding secured by the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) through the Ford Motor Company Fund's Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) program.

This announcement coincides with the first-ever National Teen Driver Safety Week, Oct. 15 - 20, designated by Congress to bring attention to the issue of teen driving safety and the need to prevent teen crashes and injuries.

Teen drivers, because of their lack of experience and risk-taking behaviors, face a greater crash risk. This risk increases when teens have multiple passengers in their vehicle. While the 16-24 age group represents 14.5 percent of the state's drivers, this group represented 22.8 percent of drivers in all crashes last year and 21.5 percent of drivers in fatal crashes.

DSFL has committed $20,000 to establish a unique, educational driving experience for Michigan teens with the MSP Precision Driving Unit. While details of the program are still being developed, it will include hands-on experience with MSP's expert driving instructors at the MSP drive track in Lansing to improve their skills.

In addition to the upcoming teen driver program, OHSP is awarding $60,000 in federal traffic safety funds to the Michigan Department of State this fiscal year to fund training for driver's education instructors on the new Michigan version of the American Driver Traffic Safety Education Association's curriculum.

OHSP also directs federal juvenile justice and traffic safety funds to law enforcement agencies to enforce underage drinking laws as a means to discourage minors from drinking. Minors who have been drinking are especially problematic if they get behind the wheel, which can prove to be a dangerous combination of inexperience and alcohol.

Forty-four counties this year will utilize $1.279 million in federal funds for enforcement activities that include underage drinking "party details" and enforcement of the illegal purchase of alcohol by minors or by adults who furnish alcohol to minors.

In addition to enforcement programs, OHSP is in the process of reviewing crash data to determine the focus of an upcoming teen-focused public information campaign, whose emphasis will be safety belts and/or underage drinking.