Lee Memorial Emergency/Trauma Services, Lee County Sheriffs Office, Lee County Injury Prevention Coalition, and the Stay Alive, Just Drive program are hosting a program for young drivers between the ages of 15 and 21. It is free to young drivers and their parents.
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for persons aged 15 to 24, and the risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16 to 19 year olds than among any other age group. In fact, per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely than older drivers to crash. The presence of teen passengers increases the crash risk of unsupervised teen drivers: the risk increases with the number of teen passengers. Crash risk is particularly high during the first year that teenagers are eligible to drive.
In Lee County between Oct. 2007 and Oct. 2009, there were 201 Trauma Alerts for ages 15-21 with 18 fatalities. 100% of the fatalities were not wearing a seat belt nor had the use of an airbag. 22% of the fatalities also had alcohol on board. The majority of the alcohol use was from the 16, 18, and 19 year old age group.
The Young Driver Safety Program is designed to illustrate driving responsibility and outcomes of intentional acts of irresponsible driving. The program will educate young drivers on different legal issues involved with driving and also how to stay focused on driving and the responsibilities that go along with the driving privilege. This program is not a substitute for Drivers Education, but a supplement to the Drivers Education course.
WHEN: Feb. 23, 2010
5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
WHERE: Lee Memorial Hospital Auditorium
2776 Cleveland Avenue, Fort Myers
To register for the program, please contact Syndi Bultman at 239-336-6797.
