FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 25, 2006

CONTACT: Sgt. R.K. HUGHES, 803-896-8164

 

SCDPS TEAMS UP WITH SAFETY PARTNERS FOR PARENT/TEEN SAFETY SUMMIT AUG. 29

                                                                                                                                   

COLUMBIA – The South Carolina Department of Public Safety will be teaming with Lexington law enforcement, schools, behavioral health experts and families who have lost teens to send a strong message about motor vehicle safety and teen drivers.

 

SCDPS will host a Parent/Teen Safety Summit on Tuesday, August 29 at 6:30 p.m. at the Lexington Town Hall, 111 Maiden Lane. This forum is open to anyone interested in teen motor vehicle safety and underage drinking. Other partners include Lexington School District One, Lexington One Community Coalition (LOCC), Lexington County Sheriff’s Office, Lexington Police Department, LRADAC, the behavioral health center of the Midlands, SCDPS Families of Highway Fatalities (FHF) and Dr. Samer Touma, Child/Adolescent and Family Therapist.

 

“Our hope is to bring together all the experts in one room – from mental health professionals, to law enforcement to families who have lost teens in motor vehicle collisions and open a dialogue,” said SCDPS Director James K. Schweitzer. “It is imperative that parents and teens work as a team to understand the scope of the problem and resolve to work as a family to prevent future tragic losses.”

 

Motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death for young people, 15-19 years old both state and nationwide. A great deal of media attention has been focused on underage drinking after several recent traffic fatalities involving teens in Lexington County.

 

Behavioral experts from LRADAC, which takes a proactive approach to fighting addiction and drug abuse in schools, will speak to this. Law enforcement will address the statistics and efforts to break up underage alcohol parties, reduce drinking and driving as well as a discussion of penalties. A Kershaw County teen who nearly died two years ago in a DUI-related collision will speak to teens about the consequences of bad decisions behind the wheel. And Families of Highway Fatalities representatives will be on hand to talk about losing their children on the highways.

 

Parents and teens will be separated and different experts will work with each group after a short opening session.

 

Some facts about teen driving:

 

• Based on estimated miles traveled annually, teen drivers age 16-19 have a fatality rate four times the rate of drivers age 25-69.
• More than 3,800 young drivers age 15-20 are killed every year in traffic crashes.
• Two teens in a car increases the likelihood of a crash by 86 percent, three teens by 182 percent, according to research conducted by Johns Hopkins University.
• Exceeding the posted speed limit or driving at an unsafe speed is the most common error in fatal collisions.
• About 30 percent of crashes killing young drivers involve alcohol.
• 53 percent of teen deaths occur on weekends.
• Teen drivers killed in motor vehicle collisions had a youth passenger in the automobile 45 percent of the time.

 

Those interested in attending can confirm attendance with smith_courtneyl@schp.org or by calling the SC Highway Patrol at 803-896-7920.