TORONTO – Drug-impaired driving among teens is a major concern. A ten-year trend shows one in four teens who died in a motor vehicle crash tested positive for cannabis. Parachute for National Teen Driver Safety Week (NTDSW), which takes place October 15-21, promotes positive behaviour changes to reduce injury rates among teens.
Parachute National Teen Driver Safety Week is an annual public awareness campaign. This year, drugged driving is the primary focus; and messaging to teens will also address distracted, impaired and aggressive driving, including speeding. Parachute is calling on all teens to #GetHomeSafe.
Some key facts:
- Some teens believe using cannabis would make them a better driver – This is false!
- Speeding is a factor in one third of teen driver deaths
- More than half of teen deaths from drunk driving occur on the weekends
- Distracted driving is a factor in 15-19 per cent of all fatal crashes involving teen drivers
- According to a recent survey, 96 per cent of Canadian drivers would stop driving distracted, if a passenger asked them to
“Just one wrong choice can cause a devastating collision.” says Steve Podborski, Parachute President and CEO. “Teen drivers have the power to make the right choices, prevent heartbreak and save lives.”
Parachute and [name of organization/group] are encouraging teenagers to participate in NTDSW activities, programs and events across Canadian communities. For more information about NTDSW resources, news and updates, visit parachutecanada.org/ntdsw
About Parachute
Parachute is a national charity helping Canadians stop the clock on preventable injuries. The injury impact is staggering. Preventable injuries are the #1 killer of children. They cost the Canadian economy $27B a year, and worst of all, one child dies every nine hours. Through education, knowledge and empowerment, Parachute is working to save lives and create an injury-free Canada. For information, visit us at parachutecanada.org, follow us on Twitter, or join us on Facebook.