News
Governor Rell launches “Talk to Teen Drivers Night” campaign
By Governor Rell's office
Mar 26, 2008 - 4:33:48 PM

Governor M. Jodi Rell announced that she will designate Thursday, April 17, as TALK to Teen Drivers Night in Connecticut – a time for parents and their teens to set aside time to discuss the importance of responsible driving. TALK stands for Teaching Accountability, Laws and Knowledge.

To help promote TALK to Teen Drivers Night, Governor Rell has launched a public service announcement (PSA) that will air on radio stations across the state. The Governor will also issue an official proclamation setting aside April 17, 2008, as “TALK to Teen Drivers Night.”

“Car accidents are the leading cause of death and injury among teenagers,” Governor Rell said. “Over the past 12 months we have witnessed far too many traffic fatalities involving teens. We hope to have new laws in place this year but we need parents to do their part by sitting down with their children and having a candid conversation about responsible driving.

“Parents of teen drivers should not rely on the laws alone when it comes to stopping teen tragedies on our roadways,” the Governor said. “Parents need to set the limits before their teens get behind the wheel. They will have more influence on teens than any law we have on the books.”

According to the state Department of Motor Vehicles, motor vehicle accidents claimed the lives of 15 teens in 2007 and 14 teens in 2006. In the first three months of this year, the state has lost seven teens to traffic fatalities on Connecticut roadways.

“As a parent, I can attest to how frightening it was when my two teenagers started driving,” Governor Rell said. “Parents today share the same worries, concerns and nightmares. TALK to Teen Drivers Night is a statewide conversation that cannot be put off any longer. April 17 is the day for all parents to speak in a unified voice.

“As I’ve said many times and will keep repeating, teens are inexperienced drivers, yet they think nothing is going to happen to them because they are young and invincible,” the Governor said. “They are wrong. And it is critical that parents, lawmakers, school administrators and others discourage them from this destructive way of thinking.”

Last year, Governor Rell created the Teen Safe Driving Task Force to examine laws and raise awareness of this critical issue facing teenagers and parents. The Governor’s legislative package proposed last month includes the short-term recommendations of this special task force, such as rolling back curfew times for teen drivers, increasing on-the-road training requirements and implementing tougher penalties for driving under the influence and other motor vehicle violations.

In February, Governor Rell contacted high school administrators across the state to ask them to hold assemblies in their schools over the next several weeks on teen safe driving, passenger restriction laws and other issues related to teen driving.

Governor Rell also sent a letter on March 4 asking legislative leaders to convene the state House of Representatives and the state Senate so they could take immediate action on the teen driving bills being considered by the Legislature’s Transportation Committee.

The PSA will begin airing on March 26. For more information on the Governor’s Teen Driving Task Force, please visit www.ct.gov/teendriving.

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