National Safety Council Teen Driver Symposium to Review Latest Science, Update Data

Evidenced-based Findings/Recommendations to be Shared with State and Federal Legislators, Policy Makers

Chicago Tribune Recognized for Compelling 'Teens at the Wheel' Series

TUCSON, Ariz., Feb. 5, 2007; Experts from across the country and around the world are gathering this week in Tucson to review scientific findings on teen driving and to recommend a comprehensive approach to making young drivers, their passengers and all of us safer on the road.

The National Safety Council's International Symposium on Novice Teen Driving: GDL and Beyond, Feb. 5-7, brings together researchers, policy makers, state and federal officials as well as representatives of the auto and insurance industries in discussions of the root causes of teen driver crashes and remedies proven to work in reducing teen crashes.

Studies of teen driver performance, behaviors, education and laws, as well as the influence parents, educators, law enforcement and peers can have on improving current teen driver statistics, will be among the topics presented.

The National Safety Council, which hosted its first teen driver symposium in 2002, has been active nationally advocating for stronger teen driver laws and greater parental involvement in their children's driving privileges.

According to John Ulczycki, National Safety Council Executive Director of Transportation Safety, the Council and its partners will distribute their findings and recommendations to state governors, legislators, highway safety leaders and the general public.

"This timely review of the science will enable us to identify what is working and why," Ulczycki said. "We will then ask state legislators and others across the country to consider enacting Graduated Driver Licensing laws based on current science and data. While most states have some form of GDL laws, no state has a perfect law."

During the opening of the symposium, the National Safety Council also is recognizing the Chicago Tribune for its ongoing Teens at the Wheel series for bringing regular front page and editorial attention to the state of teen driving in Illinois.

The series compelled Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White to convene a special task force last year to look at the issue and recommend new teen driver legislation. The recently proposed legislation would make Illinois' GDL laws among the toughest in the nation.

Last year about 8,000 people died in car crashes involving teen drivers; more than 5,000 of the victims were teen drivers and their passengers. One out of every five 16 year olds will be in a car crash; many of which will be fatal.

Symposium sponsors include the GEICO Foundation, State Farm Insurance, Centers for Disease Control, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, General Motors Corporation, and Nationwide Insurance. For more information on the symposium, visit http://www.nsc.org/gdl/.

The National Safety Council (http://www.nsc.org/) is a nonprofit, nongovernmental, international public service organization. Members of the NSC include businesses, labor organization, schools, public agencies, private groups and individuals. Founded in 1913 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1953, the National Safety Council is committed to preventing accidental injuries in the workplace, on roads and highways, and in homes and communities.