Oct. 20, 2015
HARRISBURG – To help keep teens safe behind the wheel, Rep. Kathy Watson (R-Bucks/144th) has again authored legislation to raise awareness of teen driver safety topics and seek solutions to preventing unnecessary teen deaths on the road.
House Resolution 548, which passed the House unanimously on Oct. 19, officially designates Oct. 18-24, 2015, as National Teen Driver Safety Week.
“Car crashes are the No. 1 cause of death for teens, and that’s why it is imperative to make sure they have the resources to stay safe on the road,” said Watson, who has been a leading advocate for better teen driver preparedness and safety during her tenure in the House.
According to the latest traffic crash data from 2012, 105 teen driver fatalities were recorded that year in Pennsylvania, with seven of those deaths among 16-year-old drivers.
“All were young people loved by their families – good kids full of dreams and hopes for long, meaningful lives,” she continued. “That’s why we are observing this week so that we can yet again remind younger drivers they have so much to live for, and that they can avoid regret by putting down the phone, limiting their passengers and paying attention to the road ahead of them.”
The theme for this year is “Avoid the Regret, Avoid Impaired Driving.”
In her resolution, Watson noted that one of the major factors that increases the risk of a crash is impaired driving, and research shows that most teens know they are vulnerable and are well aware of the many risks of driving. Impaired driving includes being under the influence of alcohol or drugs; being distracted by cell phones or other passengers; being tired or fatigued; or experiencing strong emotions.
To find out more about young driver safety, visit PennDOT’s Just Drive PA website at
JustDrivePa.org.
Representative Kathy Watson
144th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Jennifer Keaton
717.705.2094
jkeaton@pahousegop.com
KathyWatson144.com /
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