National Youth Traffic Safety Month

May is National Youth Traffic Safety Month.  I want to take this time to encourage you to set some personal goals about driving safely.

If you’re a teen driver or the parent of a teen driver, you should be aware that according to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the United States.  This could be due to a number of factors such as inexperience, distraction, and lack of seat belt use.

I want you to throw away the mindset, “It’ll never happen to me,” or “That only happens to other people.”  The truth is vehicle fatalities happen every day to teens and to families with teen drivers that think it can never happen to them.  I want you to be aware of your surroundings.  I want you to look out for other drivers and make sure you are following traffic safety laws.  Make sure you’re always wearing your seat belt and that your passengers are also buckled up. 

Please take a moment to review the Allstate Foundation Fact Sheet.  This is a very informative list of facts about teen drivers that was created by the Allstate Foundation, an organization that is dedicated to youth empowerment and domestic violence programs. 

Remember “Knowledge is Power.” Educate yourself and help raise awareness about National Youth Traffic Safety and thank you for helping keep Mississippi County Safe. 

Aubry D. Cook

Sheriff