- Hundreds of Utah teens are driving for the first time this fall as school begins.
- A-1 Driving School President Mariann Wilkinson said safety is top priority for teen drivers.
- Driving safely involves understanding controls, practice, and developing good habits, along with minimizing distractions.
OGDEN — Back-to-school season smells like fresh notebooks, cafeteria pizza and, for some, the faint scent of new car air freshener. That's because hundreds of Utah teens are hitting the road for the very first time this fall.
Teen drivers make up only 8% of Utah's licensed drivers, but they're involved in about 20% of all crashes statewide. The top causes? Speeding, following too closely, failing to yield and — no surprise — cellphone distractions.
For first-time drivers, heading back to school can be intimidating.
"Safety is our top priority; we're not just about getting the driving hours here at A1," said president of A1 Driving School, Mariann Wilkinson. "We really like to focus on defensive driving and making sure the kids come away with the skills they're going to need to be safe."
Related:
Red Cross urges school zone caution as Utah students return to class
As 675,000 Utah students head back to school this month, the American Red Cross of Utah is reminding motorists to use extra caution, especially in and around school zones.For beginners, driving safely involves a combination of understanding vehicle controls, practicing in low-risk environments and developing good driving habits.
"One of those systems that we teach all of our students is called the 'Smith System,' and there's five points to that," Wilkinson said. "One, to get the big picture, that just means we're looking side to side, really getting an idea of our surrounding. No. 2, aiming high down the road. No. 3, keeping our eyes moving. Fourth one would be to leave yourself an out; don't get so boxed in. Then the last one is to make sure others see you."
It's also crucial to avoid distractions and make sure you're prepared.
Utah's Graduated Driver Licensing Program is built to keep new drivers safe. No driving between midnight and 5 a.m., and no friends in the car for the first six months, unless there's a licensed adult riding shotgun. Since the program launched in 1999, teen driver fatalities in Utah have dropped by 69%.
"Give your student enough time to get to school. Don't be rushing so fast that you have to get to school in five minutes," Wilkinson said. "Leave early, expect the time that you're going to have to go through school zones and give you enough time to get into the parking lot without rushing."
Whether your teen is driving themselves or still practicing with you in the passenger seat, those rules and that seat belt, aren't just suggestions — they're lifesavers.
