Edmond Police First in State to Implement Alive at 25 Program
Survival Course Designed to Prevent the Number One Killer of Teens
Motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death for people ages 16-24. Three out of four deaths in this age group are caused by traffic crashes. According to the City of Edmond Traffic Engineering's 2007 statistics, drivers in this age group were involved in 62% of the motor vehicle crashes in our city.
In an effort to save the lives of young drivers and to make city streets and highways safer, the Edmond Police Department is implementing a new program called Alive at 25. The program is a survival course developed by the National Safety Council that encourages young drivers to take responsibility for their driving behavior.
The course may be a court-ordered directive for drivers in this age group who have violated City of Edmond traffic ordinances. Municipal Judge Alan Synar said he wholeheartedly supports the program and is pleased that the Edmond Police Department is taking the lead in providing this important program.
The Edmond Police Department is implementing the program in partnership with the Court and the Oklahoma Safety Council. Edmond is the first police department in the state to implement the course.
Alive at 25 is a four hour course designed to prevent the number one killer of teens, automobile crashes. The course focuses on the behaviors and decision-making skills of young passengers and drivers.
Instructors have candid conversations with the students about what can happen if they practice risky behavior or make poor decisions while driving or riding in an automobile. A combination of discussions and interactive teaching tools help students explore behaviors and their implications.
For more information about the Alive at 25 program, contact Sgt. Bob Pratt at 359-4460.
Additional Information from www.alive-at-25.org
- Young drivers are involved in fatal crashes at more than twice the rate of all others.
- The first year for newly licensed teenage driver is the most dangerous with more than one in five involved in crashes.
- Annually more than 326,000 young drivers are seriously injured.
- Exceeding the posted speed limit or driving at an unsafe speed is the most common error in fatal teenage accidents
Issued: February 07, 2008
