Governor Rell: Connecticut Teen Safe Driving Week

Kicks Off  New “CTParenTeen” Campaign

Campaign Highlights Responsible Choices

For Parents and Young Drivers

Governor M. Jodi Rell announced today that Connecticut’s Teen Safe Driving Week, which runs today through December 12, will kick off a year-long program called “CTParenTeen” to encourage parents and teens to make responsible choices around safe driving issues.

This special week in Connecticut provides an opportunity for many public agencies, schools, communities and safe driving advocates to spotlight on efforts of parents and teens to review their safety discussions and practices.

“There are far too many hearts broken and far too many tears shed over the tragic results of irresponsible driving,” Governor Rell said. “Every moment that a parent and child can spend together to discuss safety behind the wheel and fully understand the laws that govern teen driving is time well spent. It may someday save a life and keep a family whole.

“CTParenTeen is a wonderful way to show that teen safe driving is about both parents’ responsibilities as well as their joint responsibilities with their children,” the Governor said.

Governor Rell signed new and tougher teen driving laws after several crashes that claimed the lives of teen drivers and their young passengers two years.  The strengthened laws for 16- and 17-year-old drivers include more passenger restrictions, an earlier night time driving curfew beginning at 11 p.m., an increase in training requirements and new suspension penalties for certain moving violations. 

Among activities planned this week:

·        The state Department of Motor Vehicles will e-mail high school principals reminding them of the week, its theme and requests for them to engage their parent-teacher organizations in awareness events for teens and parents. DMV's teen advisory board will also send to the principals a list of different activities teen can do to raise awareness among students;

·        The Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Police Chiefs Association will provide parents and teens a brochure on the new teen driving laws;

·        The Department of Transportation will have its variable message signs on highways advertise that it is Connecticut Teen Safe Driving Week;

·        The Department of Public Health will include on its Web site statistics on fatal car crashes and teens and why they are the leading cause of death for teens in Connecticut;

·        The Department of Administrative services donated the creative design for the CTParentTeen logo and poster (attached) while the Travelers Ins. Co., which is a partner with DMV in its teen driving video contest, donated the printing of new and updated teen driving law brochures to be handed out by both state agency and advocate partners;

·        The Connecticut Children's Medical Center will have available for demonstration its driving simulators, which they have placed in some high schools around Connecticut as part of a study on teen driving;

·        WFSB-TV, a partner in the video contest, will air winners from the 2009 contest as public service announcements.