By MADISON EARP
Student contributor
According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS), “the risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among teens ages 16–19 than among any other age group. Teen drivers in this age group have a fatal crash rate almost three times as high as drivers ages 20 and older per mile driven.”
Cranberry High School will host its annual Safe Driving Week where students can learn how to be a safer driver and passenger, and the consequences of not being responsible.
This year’s Safe Driving Week starts Monday, May 6, and ends Friday, May 10.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the crash rate per mile within the first year of having a driver’s license is about 1.5 times higher for a 16-year-old than it is for an 18 or 19-year-old.
This year’s safe driving theme is “It Won’t Be Me” to make students more aware of how their lives have value and how the effects of unsafe driving can be personally harmful. The week’s goal is to have a personal impact and hopefully change some poor driving decision-making.
“Of all fatalities that involved distraction, 46% occurred on rural roads – far more than the population would predict,” reports the NHTSA.
“May and June are when the most crash fatalities occur among teen drivers, making summertime a riskier time for teen drivers on the road,” states the IIHS.
Throughout the week of May 6th, inside the school there are going to be activities and demonstrations to show students how to be a safer driver and/or passenger. Also, on CranNews’s YouTube, there will be informational videos on safe driving.
On Tuesday, there will be a drunk driving goggle simulation for students to see how well they can react if drinking and driving.
On Thursday, during an added study period, there will be an assembly for senior high students to be reminded about the real-life consequences of distracted driving and being unsafe on the roads.
On Friday, all students, during lunches, will be encouraged to pledge to be a safer rider/driver by signing a previously wrecked car, supplied by Minich’s Towing and Recovery for educational purposes, in the front lawn of the high school.
