Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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Sandra Yi Reporting Statistics show car crashes are the leading cause of death among teenagers. Now one law enforcement agency has a unique way of trying to protect them.
It's all about a sticker.
Ceci Lawfer's 15-year-old son is learning how to drive.
Ceci Lawfer: "Well, he just got his permit yesterday."
She'll tell you, it can be nervewracking.
Ceci Lawfer: "It's scary putting him out there. I'm petrified."
And many parents are. Statistics show motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among 15- to 20- year-olds. And law enforcement has taken notice.
Dave Edmunds/ Summit County Sheriff: "There's been a lot of change here in Utah and nationwide. It's an epidemic. There's a problem that we've had in Utah and across the country."
In Summit County, the Sheriff's Office recently started a new program, called STOPPED. The goal is to keep parents "in the know" and protect teens behind the wheel.
Sheriff Dave Edmunds: "When my kids are 16, I can guarantee they're going to be a part of this program."
Parents who register will get a decal to put on the left-hand corner of their car's windshield.
Sheriff Dave Edmunds: "And if one of the deputies actually stops one of the kids that are part of the program, mom and dad get the information. They find out where the teenager was stopped, who was with them, whether a citation was issued."
There are similar programs in other states, but Summit County is the first in Utah to adopt it.
Ceci Lawfur: "I love the idea of it. I think he'd be honest about it anyway. But it's nice to know right when something happens."
But the idea isn't so popular with her son Adam.
Adam Lawfer/ Learning How to Drive: "As a teenager, I don't like it because my parents will know when I do something wrong."
But he admits, the sticker would be a constant reminder about safety.
Adam: "I'd definitely driver safer, just so I wouldn't get in trouble and keep my license."
And that's what the Sheriff's Office is hoping for.
Anyone can register, but the sticker will only be enforced in Summit County. For more information, call the Sheriff's Office.
