Jul 28, 2008 7:58 pm US/Eastern
Specialty Course Challenges Teens Behind The Wheel
July Is The Deadliest Month For Teen Drivers
Distracted Driving, Not Alcohol
Played Biggest Factor In Teen Accidents
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
From chatting on cell phones, to text messaging friends, or putting on make up and checking their hair, drivers behind the wheel often do more than just drive.
While these are bad behaviors behind the wheel for adult drivers, for teen drivers they can be deadly. In fact, according to a study commissioned by Allstate insurance, July is the deadliest month for teen drivers in Miami.
In an effort to show just how deadly being distracted behind the wheel can be, the insurance company is sponsoring "Action Against Distraction" on Monday and Tuesday called at Tropical Park in Miami.
"Auto crashes are the number one killer of American teens, and the carefree summer months are the deadliest time of all," said Allstate's Nick Halliwell.
On Monday, teens took part in the Driver Challenge. Sitting on lifeguard chairs at the entrance to the park, teens kept track of all they distracting driving behaviors they saw passing by on the road. Those numbers were then entered onto an 8-foot tall tally board.
On Tuesday, teens and their parents will be challenged to get behind the wheel and try their hand at a special driver training course designed to show the dangers of distracted driving.
"We're giving teens and their parents the opportunity to experience smart decision-making on the road in a safe, hands-on environment," said Halliwell.
Action Against Distraction is a nationwide public awareness campaign and graduated driver licensing (GDL) law push launched by Allstate in May.
The advanced driver training course and other anti-distraction efforts are being held in more than a dozen cities around the country in 2008 to raise awareness about distracted driving and the need for better GDL laws both at the state and federal level.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an average of more than 17 teens a day die on American roads during the months of June, July and August - the three months with the highest teen crash rates.
Nearly 6,000 teens die in car crashes every year.
Research also shows that both parents and teens believe alcohol is the cause of most crashes involving teen drivers. However, for teen crashes between 2003 and 2005, the primary cause (87 percent) was driver error.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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