Car crashes are the leading cause of death among 16 – 19 year olds. Our community has been touched by its own teen tragedies on local roadways. Partners for Safe Teen Drivers is an initiative to reduce the number of car crashes and save lives of teen drivers through parent awareness and education. This required parent meeting targets parents as key players in influencing teens to drive safely and responsibly. The meeting will bring together parents, schools, law enforcement and community resources for an awareness campaign. The meeting agenda includes the following:

• An explanation of the Behind the Wheel program and the 40-Hour Parent/Teen Driving Guide with required log sheet.
• Highlights of traffic laws pertaining to teens and the graduated licensing restrictions from the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office.
• Materials from the Dying2Drive campaign.
• Information for Reducing the Risk from GEICO.
• The perspective of a bereaved parent.

Parents of students who are currently taking PE 10 and classroom driver education will be invited to the Partners for Safe Teen Drivers meeting. If a student plans to take the optional course of Behind the Wheel through Stafford Schools, the parent must attend the meeting. A student will not be allowed to register for Behind the Wheel training without meeting all requirements, including the parent’s attendance at the meeting. Stafford County Schools is committed to working with parents to keep our students safe and reduce teen crashes.