Group of Organizations Advocates for Designating "Deadliest Day-100 Safest Days" Period

The Florida Teen Safe Driving Coalition, a collaborative effort involving We Save Lives, National Road Safety Foundation, Impact Teen Drivers, National Safety Council, Safe Kids Worldwide, and the American Automobile Association (AAA), is on a mission to equip teen drivers with the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to make informed decisions and develop responsible driving behaviors.

The coalition's focus extends beyond just teaching driving skills. It aims to address the preventable crisis of teen car crashes, which is the leading cause of death for American teens. Kelly K. Browning, Ph.D., executive director of Impact Teen Drivers, and Candace Lightner, founder and president of We Save Lives, are at the forefront of this campaign.

One of the key initiatives is the Courage to Intervene promise, which encourages individuals to stop friends and loved ones from engaging in unsafe driving practices. This includes stopping friends from driving buzzed, drunk, or drugged, not riding with them if they are under any kind of influence, and stopping friends from using their cell phones while driving. The pledge is available at wesavelives.org/courage-to-intervenesm-promise/.

Michelle Anderson, director of operations for The National Road Safety Foundation, emphasizes the need to remind teens of the dangers of too many passengers, cell phone use while driving, and other distractions. Young drivers are over-involved in crashes, making up 12.6% of drivers in all crashes in 2021.

The coalition also aims to turn the 100 deadliest days into the 100 safest days of summer. Nationwide, 812 deaths per year occur in teen driver-related summertime crashes, accounting for nearly half of the total number of teen driver deaths for the entire year. The "100 Safest Days" initiative aims to reduce these numbers during the summer months.

The ultimate vision is to transform the driving culture, thereby saving lives not only in this generation but in all future generations. The National Road Safety Foundation, with its 60-year history of reducing crashes, deaths, and injuries on U.S. highways, is a crucial player in this mission.

Parents are identified as the number one influencer of their teen's driving attitudes and behaviors. The coalition encourages parents to talk to their teens about the dangers of impaired driving, distracted driving, and the importance of responsible decision-making behind the wheel.

We Save Lives promotes realistic solutions to change dangerous driving choices and save lives. Impact Teen Drivers develops and promotes evidence-based education to stop teen car crashes, particularly those caused by reckless and distracted driving.

The Brain Injury Alliance-New Jersey, while not directly involved in the coalition, provides education, advocacy, support, and hope for people with brain injury and their families in New Jersey, emphasizing the life-altering consequences of impaired driving.

The Courage to Intervene promise is a step towards a safer future for our teen drivers. By taking the pledge and spreading the word, we can make a difference and turn the 100 deadliest days into the 100 safest days of summer.

Group of Organizations Advocates for Designating "Deadliest Day-100 Safest Days" Period