[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 90 (Wednesday, June 6, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1213]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E1213]]
ANNOUNCING THE INTRODUCTION OF A RESOLUTION TO DESIGNATE THE THIRD WEEK 
           OF OCTOBER AS ``NATIONAL TEEN DRIVER SAFETY WEEK''

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. CHARLES W. DENT

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 6, 2007

  Mr. DENT. Madam Speaker, today I will introduce legislation to 
designate the third week of October as ``National Teen Driver Safety 
Week.''
  Unfortunately, roughly 7,500 teenage drivers were involved in fatal 
car crashes in 2005. The time has come for us to recognize this 
terrible problem and consider effective interventions that will help 
reduce the number of accidents involving teens.
  On Monday, January 22, 2007, following a tragic accident that claimed 
the lives of two Pennsylvania high school students, the Morning Call 
compiled a report of fatal crashes involving teens that had occurred in 
the Lehigh Valley region since 2001. This report indicated that there 
were a total of 13 fatalities between 2001 and 2006, with alcohol 
involved in two of the seven accidents reported. Other contributing 
factors included racing and reckless behavior. Sadly, it appears these 
events could have been prevented, enabling these children to reach 
their destinations safely.
  To address this troubling issue, the Children's Hospital of 
Philadelphia is currently conducting research that will help develop 
the best interventions to reduce the risk of crash injury for teen 
drivers and travelers sharing the road with them. The alliance of CHOP 
and State Farm Insurance Company, its partner in this initiative, is 
nationally recognized for its research and outreach involving child 
passenger safety. However, this year they have expanded their agenda 
from the car seat to the driver's seat in an effort to address the 
cause of motor vehicle crashes, the leading cause of death among 
American teenagers. Together, CHOP and State Farm have conducted 
research indicating that teens often drive while distracted and 
fatigued. I believe this alliance between CHOP and State Farm brings 
together a wide range of expertise in research and outreach--
translating scientific evidence into actions that will help save lives.
  It is important that Congress supports efforts to effectively educate 
teens and families about ways to address these problems. This 
resolution will support the goals and ideals of a week in which 
intensive programming will be used to encourage teens to drive more 
safely. By perhaps delaying exposure to risky driving conditions until 
they have enough supervised driving experience, managing peer-to-peer 
interactions around driving, and reinforcing the need to detect and 
react to hazards more appropriately, teens will be better prepared to 
drive responsibly.
  Madam Speaker, teens are dying in crashes at a rate of four times 
that of adult drivers and we must act now to prevent future tragedies.

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