LIGHTING THE WAY TO LIFELONG SAFE DRIVING

Driving is a skill requiring practice, safety, and focus. More often than not, it is a luxury taken for granted rather than a potentially dangerous task handled cautiously. Lack of sufficient experience behind the wheel leads to poor decision making and fatal accidents. Teen drivers are especially at risk for this, as automobile crashes are the leading cause of death among American teenagers, killing 13 times as many young people as drugs each year. While drivers aged 15-20 make up only 6.7% of the total driving population, they are involved in 14% of all fatal crashes. The platform of Miss Spokane (Washington) 2000, Fianna Dickson, was titled Lighting the Way to Lifelong Safe Driving. It was designed to provide parents and teenagers with information about improving driving skills.