February 10, 2005

Purdue Extension helps Indiana teens 'Drive Rite'

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Staying safe on the road is a learning process that begins at birth and continues through adulthood, says a Purdue University expert who heads up a Cooperative Extension Service program aimed at instilling safe driving practices in youths.

"Parents can help ensure the safety of their children by making sure they are properly restrained in child safety or booster seats and by modeling safe driving behavior," said Aadron Rausch, Purdue Extension youth development specialist and coordinator of the Drive Rite: Keys to Smart Driving program.

Feb. 13-19 is National Child Passenger Safety Week, a reminder to parents and other adults to use appropriate restraint methods for each stage of a child's development when traveling in motor vehicles. "It's also a good time to emphasize the overall importance of training young drivers," Rausch said.

Motor vehicle crashes are the No. 1 killer of youths between the ages of 16-19 in the United States. Among drivers, teens comprise about 6 percent of the total driving population, yet according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, teen drivers are involved in more than 14 percent of highway fatalities. In 2001, 16.4 percent of Indiana drivers involved in a fatal crash were 16-20 years of age, compared to the national average of 14.6 percent.

To address this growing problem, in 2001 Purdue Extension launched Drive Rite: Keys to Smart Driving. The program combines behind-the-wheel practice with educational activities to increase young drivers' knowledge and judgment when encountering various road, traffic and weather conditions. A complement to school-sponsored or commercial driver's training programs, Drive Rite is delivered in partnership with local law enforcement, city/county government, education and social services.

Rausch is developing an expanded Drive Rite curriculum that moves beyond supervised driving time and draws attention to attitudes and behaviors while actively involving parents in guiding their teen to become a safe driver.

"Parents are both leaders and role models in the program," Rausch said. "Many teens describe themselves as safe drivers, yet engage in high-risk behaviors, such as speeding, not wearing seat belts or talking on cell phones while driving. They may not view these behaviors as dangerous because they see their parents drive in much the same way."

New program activities will include six monthly workshops that address such topics as responsible driving, driving distractions, avoiding and dealing with car crashes, and vehicle ownership. In addition to the workshops and other educational activities, teens complete 60 hours of supervised driving time on specific road conditions and in certain types of weather.

Pilot programs will begin this summer in Tippecanoe, Hendricks, Morgan, Elkhart, Monroe, Clay, Sullivan and Vigo counties. People who are interested in developing a community team and becoming a Drive Rite pilot site should contact Rausch at 1-888-EXT-INFO.

Teen drivers are at highest risk between the ages of 16 and 17, when the crash rate is almost three times as high among 16-year-old drivers than that of 18- to 19- year-olds.

In 1999, Indiana's Probationary License Law placed driving restrictions on 16-year-olds. The law requires young drivers to gain additional experience before receiving full driving privileges. During the first 90 days after getting a license, drivers under 18 can't transport other people in the car unless someone at least 21 years old with a valid driver's license is riding in the passenger seat. When driving, teens with a probationary license and all passengers in a vehicle must wear seat belts.

Indiana's seat belt law also may be changing in the near future. Senate Bill 7, which is currently before the Indiana General Assembly, would require seat belt use in pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. Indiana is one of only two states that exempts trucks and SUVs from the seat belt requirement.

Writer: Olivia Maddox, (765) 496-3207, maddoxol@purdue.edu

Source: Aadron Rausch, (765) 494-9516, rauschaj@purdue.edu

Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Beth Forbes, forbes@purdue.edu
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