Training and experience help reduce teen crashes

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and Division of Wisconsin State Patrol recognize National Teen Driver Safety Week to raise awareness of the importance for teens to get properly trained and avoid risks to prevent crashes on the road.

Traffic crashes are a leading cause of death for teens in the United States. Last year in Wisconsin, there were 18,823 crashes involving teen drivers; 70 people were killed and 5,782 people were injured in these crashes.

“Inexperience behind the wheel makes teens more susceptible to crashes,” Wisconsin State Patrol Superintendent Tim Carnahan said. “Gaining experience and avoiding unnecessary risks can help keep teens and everyone who shares the road safe. Wearing a seat belt and avoiding alcohol and drug use, distracted driving, speeding and driving while drowsy can save lives.”

Proper training and practice for young drivers is key to gaining experience behind the wheel.

Wisconsin DMV’s teen portal provides many resources for parents and sponsors of teen drivers, including:

· Steps teens, ages 15 to 18, need to follow to obtain a driver license

· Information on The Parent’s Supervised Driving Program designed to improve teen driver safety by providing parents and guardians with a methodical approach to teaching driving skills

· Sample parent-teen safe driving contract to help you and your teen driver reach a safe driving agreement that best fits your family and expectations

· Approved driver education training courses on Wisconsin DMV’s award-winning, interactive map

“Sharing time with teens through safe driving practice is an important opportunity for parents and caregivers to talk about safety and consequences on the road,” Wisconsin DMV Director of the Bureau of Driver Services Tina Braddy said. “Set a good example to help form safe driving habits from the start, especially when it comes to distracted driving and speeding.”

To obtain a learner’s permit, teens need to complete an approved driver-education training course that includes instruction on the rules of the road and signs, speed limits, managing roadway hazards, work zone safety awareness, the Move Over Law and other topics. Teens must also accumulate a minimum of 50 hours of behind-the-wheel driving experience, 10 of those hours must be driving at night.

After teens complete the training and pass the tests, Wisconsin’s Graduated Driver License (GDL) provides new drivers an opportunity to safely gain driving experience in lower risk situations. Drivers under age 18 have restrictions on the number of people in the vehicle and hours they can drive for the first nine months of their probationary license. Limiting the number of teens in the car reduces distractions and potentially more crashes while giving new young drivers more time to gain experience. The combination of effective training, hours of practice, parental involvement and state laws can help prevent teen driver crashes on Wisconsin’s roads.

National Teen Driver Safety Week is observed each year in October by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Find more teen driver safety resources from NHTSA here.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.