SEYMOUR >> Car crashes are the No. 1 cause of death among teens in the U.S., statistics show, and that’s why school officials here are urging the community to make a pledge in the name of safe driving.
That staggering fact has prompted students at Seymour High School to rally community members, friends and family to commit to safe driving with an email campaign through Oct. 26.
“We are working hard to reverse the startling statistic that car crashes are the number one killer of teens in the U.S.,” said Seymour Schools’ Director of Security Richard Kearns.
Kearns said the high school is participating in “Celebrate My Drive,” a national program dedicated to celebrating the fun of getting a driver’s license, while also teaching young drivers safety habits to help them avoid car crashes.
If SHS is successful in recruiting enough support through the email campaign, Kearns said the school stands to win a $100,000 grant and possibly a concert in town by Grammy-winning artist Kelly Clarkson.
Kearns said making the pledge is simple, and anyone with a computer and an email address can log onto www.celebratemydrive.com by Oct. 26 to make a safe driving commitment once a day, every day.
“The more safe driving commitments our community makes on behalf of Seymour High School, the better our chance to win $100,000 and host the Kelly Clarkson concert,” Kearns said.
The Celebrate My Drive campaign is sponsored by State Farm Insurance, which says, according to its website, “a teen’s first year on the road is the most dangerous,” and teaching young drivers safe driving habits can help avoid accidents.
Statistics from State Farm’s website show the fatality rate for drivers age 16 to 19 is four times that of drivers aged 25 to 69 years; the crash fatality rate is highest for 16- to 17-year-olds within the first six months after getting their license; the top three predictors for fatality are non-use of seat belts, teen drivers and roads with speed limits of 45 mph or higher; half of teen drivers report driving 10 mph over the speed limit at least sometimes; nine out of 10 teens reported it was common to see teens driving while talking on a cellphone; teens have the lowest seat belt use rates of any age group, leading to deadly consequences, with six out of 10 drivers ages 16 to 20 who were killed in crashes having been unrestrained.
Kearns said more information about the campaign can be obtained by calling 203-888-2561 ext. 1003.
Pledges can also be made on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CelebrateMyDrive.
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