News Release for October 17, 2008

For More Information:
Duane Brunell, MaineDOT Safety Office - 207-624-3278
Catherine Curtis, Deputy Secretary of State, Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles - 207-624-9004
Peter Merfeld, Chief Operations Officer, Maine Turnpike Authority - 207-871-7771 ext 116
Lauren Stewart, Director, Maine Bureau of Highway Safety - 207-626-3841

Agencies Team Up To Keep Teens Safe

The thought of a teenager driving can be scary to some parents, and a look at teen driving statistics can be even more sobering. For instance, in Maine, licensed drivers aged 16-18 comprise only about 3% of all licensed drivers, yet they are involved in almost 13% of Maine’s total traffic crashes and fatalities.

That is why MaineDOT, the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety, the Maine Turnpike Authority and the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles are teaming up to reach the parents of teen drivers. This past week, parents of teen drivers age 16-18 in Maine were sent a mailing filled with information and tools designed to help parents keep their teen drivers safe. This mailing includes a brochure that highlights the risks facing teens and explains Maine’s graduated licensing system. The brochure includes a Young Driver-Parent/Guardian contract that details and records the safe operations guideline and outlines an agreement between the teen and parent. The information is designed to provide parents with an overview of current teen driving laws. Research has show that the contract is an effective tool in reducing teen driver crashes and fatalities in the states where it is used. It also provides a framework for parents to initiate an understanding on how teens can minimize risks while driving.

Under Maine’s graduated licensing system, for the first 180 days after passing the licensing road test, a person under 18 years of age who has been issued a driver’s license is prohibited from operating a motor vehicle between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. There also are restrictions on carrying passengers and using hand held electronic devices such as cell phones and MP3 players. Teens also face stiff license suspensions for any traffic violations they commit for the first two years they hold a Maine license.

Statistics show that inexperienced teen drivers on the road are clearly at a higher risk. Their inexperience puts them, their passengers and others on the road at risk too.

“We see this mailing as an aid that enables a parent to talk to their new driver about the serious issues they face every time they get into their vehicle,” said Secretary of State, Matthew Dunlap. “If we can eliminate some of those late night calls where a parent has to be notified that their child has been involved in a serious crash, then this program has paid big dividends.”

National statistics further illustrate why it is so important for parents to step in and become part of their teen’s driving experience. The leading cause of death among 15-20 year olds is traffic crashes. Teenagers have the highest crash risk of any age group and are involved in three times as many fatal crashes as all other drivers, based on miles driven. New, inexperienced drivers, aged 16, are more often involved in crashes due to driver error and where excessive speed was a factor. Fatal crashes involving 16 year olds are more likely to occur when other teens are in the car.

MaineDOT, the Bureau of Highway Safety, the Maine Turnpike Authority and the Secretary of State’s office and Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles pooled information, resources and talent to make the mailing possible. This is another component of the “Think About It” campaign that was initiated in 2006 to address the top highway safety issues facing Maine drivers. In addition to the mailing, the campaign includes television communications with messages promoting use of safety belts and warning drivers about the deadly consequences of excessive speed and driver distraction. The mailing represents a component of the ongoing campaign aimed directly at the issue of teen driver safety.

Teen driving is major U.S. safety issue, and October 19-25, 2008 is National Teen Driver Safety Week. For More information on Teen Driving, please visit the MaineDOT website at www.mainedot.gov or the Maine Transportation Safety Coalition at www.themtsc.org.

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