Milford Students Demo New Teen Driving Simulator

Funding from Allstate Foundation allows Connecticut Children’s Medical Center project to improve teen safety behind the wheel

Students at Jonathan Law High School in Milford became the first in the state to use a computer-based virtual driver training simulator Tuesday morning. The equipment will be back at the school for three months next year as part of a pilot project initiated by Connecticut Children’s Medical Center and Allstate Foundation to help students understand the rules of the road and recognize and develop appropriate responses to typical driving hazards.

Students who got behind the wheel of the computer-based simulator saw how the 12-lesson program can help them improve driving skills by creating realistic scenarios that challenge inexperienced drivers. Lack of experience is a leading risk factor for approximately 500,000 teen injuries and 6,000 teen deaths annually.

“This kind of training has been shown to increase the scanning skills of young drivers, better equipping them to identify and to respond to driving hazards, and because of their low cost it is realistic to think that simulators could be in every high school in the state, giving young novice drivers another strategy to reduce their risk of injury or death on our roads,” said Kevin Borrup, director of the Injury Free Coalition for Kids at Connecticut Children’s.

Jonathan Law High School, with Weaver High School in Hartford, will be the first of six schools throughout the state to host the simulators for about three months each in the 2008-2009 school year. If the project, part of a comprehensive effort in the state to reduce the number of teen crash-related deaths and injuries, succeeds, sponsors hope to secure additional funding to put the simulators in all the state’s high schools and to evaluate the impact that this type of training program can have on overall teen crash rates and fatalities.

Connecticut Children’s Medical Center is a nationally recognized leader in pediatric care and the only free-standing hospital in the state devoted exclusively to the care of children. Connecticut Children’s offers a full range of services for children from birth through age 18 and brings quality care to children statewide through 10 affiliated community hospitals and 12 practice locations. Established in 1952, The Allstate Foundation is an independent, charitable organization made possible by subsidiaries of The Allstate Corporation. Teen driving has been a priority for the Foundation since 2005.

Governor Rell signs teen driving law

Governor Rell signed the teen driving law today at a signing ceremony at Conard High School in West Hartford at 3:00 pm. [picture: Governor Rell - center, is surrounded by members of the Governor's Teen Safe Driving Task Force, including the Commissioner of Public Health Dr. Galvin - left, and Co-Chair of the Transportation Committee Representative Tony Guerrera - right]

The law will take effect Aug. 1st. It increases from 20 hours to 40 hours the number of hours of on-the-road training required for licensure and the midnight curfew will be rolled back to 11 pm. Parents and guardians will now be required to attend two hours of classroom instruction with their teens. The law also contains provisions allowing police to suspend a teen's license if they are caught violating certain driving laws.

The full text of the bill can be found at:
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2008/FC/pdf/2008HB-05748-R000581-FC.pdf

"Talk to Teen Drivers Night" April 17th, 2008

Yesterday, Governor Rell announced the designation of April 17, 2008 as "Talk to Teen Drivers Nght" in Connecticut.

T-A-L-K stands for: Teach Accountability, Laws and Knowledge about safety.

She asked parents of teenagers to reach out to their children and have a candid discussion about the responsibility of driving.

She encouraged parents to be influential in the lives of their teens saying, "Your words, your actions, and your insight can have a lasting influence on your child."

The Governor said that parents need to be proactive in enforcing the laws at home before the police do on the road. Parents should become familiar with the laws such as passenger restrictions for newly licensed teens and curfews for all 16 and 17-year-olds.

A summary of the law can be found on this site www.ctdrive.blogspot.org on the right under "Resources."

The Governor also urged the use of parent-teen driving contracts, an example of which can be found on this site alongside the summary of CT law.

For further information go to the Governor's Task Force: http://www.ct.gov/teendriving/cwp/view.asp?Q=412258&A=3292

Teen Fatal Crash Data Update: 1997-2006

Injury Prevention Center at Connecticut Children's Medical Center Prepares Summary of DMV Data on Connecticut Teen Fatal Crashes

Summary:

• 16-year olds have the highest rate for crashes involving a fatality. From 1997-2006, crash rates were 49.2 per 10,000 in 16 year old drivers, which was followed by 43 per 10,000 in 18 year, 40.5 per 10,000 in 17 year, and 34.2 per 10,000 in 19 year old drivers.
• Male drivers represent an overwhelming majority of drivers involved in fatal crashes. Seventy six percent of the teen drivers were male and 24% were female.
• About forty percent (40%) of the fatal car crashes occurred between 9:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m.
• Less than a quarter (22.3%) of the participants were drinking drivers
• Forty eight percent (48%) used a known restraint system (shoulder belt, lap belt, and lap and shoulder belt).
• Crash rates decreased significantly for female drivers from ages 16 to 19, with a starting rate of 42.3 declining to 12.5 (per 10,000), respectively.
• Percentage of fatal crashes involving one or more passengers were 71.5% in 16 year, 57.5% in 17 year, 46.8% in 18 year, and 44.5% in 19 year old drivers.