California Highway Patrol

Teenagers are considered at greatest risk for distracted driving, and collisions are the number one killer of teens in the United States. To address these concerns, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and Impact Teen Drivers (ITD) are joining forces to help eliminate these preventable collisions.

Ten percent of all drivers aged 15 to 19 involved in fatal collisions were reported as distracted at the time. Based on miles driven, the Foundation of the American Automobile Association has found teens are involved in three times as many fatal collisions as all other drivers. To improve these statistics, the message of the ITD program is simple: focus on the road ahead and get where you are going safely.

“Teenage drivers are some of the most inexperienced motorists on the road, and with added distractions such as cell phones, we have to work even harder to teach them to drive safely,” CHP Acting Commissioner Warren Stanley said. “Impact Teen Drivers and the CHP share the goal of raising awareness about the dangers of reckless and distracted driving.”

At schools and community events across the state, the CHP and ITD will work to change the behavior of teen drivers. The one-year grant for the Teen Distracted Drivers Education and Enforcement campaign includes an education component as well as enforcement operations to be conducted throughout California through September 2018.

“It will take all of us – educators, law enforcement, parents, and community leaders – to change the driving culture to one that is distraction-free,” said Dr. Kelly Browning, Executive Director of ITD. “By combining quality education and enforcement in a multi-faceted approach, we can stop the main killer of teens in America – 100 percent preventable car crashes.”

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.