Viva Vitality: Teen Driver Safety Week

By Madison Keys

October is here, and with it comes the excitement of the fall season. This October is not only accompanied by the falling of leaves and the picking of pumpkins; it also welcomes National Teen Driver Safety Week which takes place from October 15-21. 

This year’s Safety Week will focus on keeping the roads safe. Young people aged 15 to 24 are killed in car crashes at a higher rate than those between the ages of 25 and 75 years old. Along with this, car crashes are the third-leading cause of death for those aged 15 to 24 in Canada. 

These rates are magnified by the issue of not following speed limits. More than 20 per cent of Canada's deadly car crashes involve speeding. The risk of a pedestrian dying from an impact at 50 km/h is 29 per cent, which is almost six times the rate at 30 km/h. Do your part to reduce the risk of deadly car crashes by following the posted speed limits and adjusting your speed to road conditions as they change. 

Heading into the fall and winter months, here are other actions you can take to keep the roads safe and support teen’s safe driving:

• Lead by example for your teens – don't text and drive.

• Don’t drive high. Cannabis impairs many abilities that are needed to drive safely such as decreasing your judgment, coordination, balance, reaction time, and decision-making skills.

• Do your part to keep your loved ones safe and speak up against drinking and driving. 1/3 of Canadians who have driven impaired have done most of their drinking with partners, friends, or family members

• Be rail smart and stay off railroad tracks. The average freight train weighs over 5,500 tonnes versus a car which weighs 1.5 tonnes. A train hitting a car is the equivalent of a car hitting a pop can.

Let’s do our part to keep the roads and teen drivers safe. For more information on action steps you can take to keep the roads safe, visit National Teen Driver Safety Week – Parachute.

Madison Keys is a practicum student with the Alberta Health Services South Zone Population and Public Health team.