Crime & Safety
CHP's 'Start Smart' a Worthwhile—and Free—Investment for Young Drivers
The two-hour class could be an important tool in ensuring your child is safe on the road.
The staggering numbers behind teen deaths in automobile accidents is one of the primary reasons the California Highway Patrol's Start Smart program may be a worthwhile investment of two hours on Thursday. The course is a free driver safety education class that targets new and future licensed drivers between the ages of 15 and 20.
The class comes about a week after a injured a pair of Lake Forest teens, one of them critically.
According to the CHP:
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- The leading cause of death for Americans in the 15-20 age group is automobile collisions.
- Teens are found at fault in 66 percent of all fatal collisions they are involved in.
- Sixty-five percent of teen passenger deaths occur when another teenager is driving.
CHP officers will discuss traffic collision avoidance techniques, collision causing factors, driver/parent responsibiliities, and seatbelt usage.
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The class is parents and teens on Thursday, 7 p.m. to 8:45, at the offices of the California Highway Patrol, 32941 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. To RSVP or get more information, contact Eric Barnard at 949-487-4000 or ebarnard@chp.ca.gov.
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