Oregon teen driving laws improve safety
EUGENE - Oregon is getting national attention when it comes to teen safety behind the wheel.
A new study shows that the state's teen driving laws are making an impact when it comes to safety.
The study says Oregon's graduated licensing program has improved safety since it started in 2000, but it also shows that taking an approved driver's education class can also contribute to safety.
For many teens getting a driver's license is a rite of passage and a step towards freedom.
"Independence is a huge key thing and just being able to have control on where you're going, it's just really great," said student driver Maddie Kiplinger.
But with the privilege comes responsibility and that's why there's a class full of teens enrolled at the Oregon Driver Training Institute. They've signed up to take an Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) approved course geared at establishing safe driving habits.
"These good driving habits are going to eliminate you from making mistakes by anticipating problems ahead of time," said Lana Doddington of the Oregon Driver Training Institute.
A new national study found that Oregon teens who took an ODOT-approved driver's education course had fewer crashes, traffic convictions and suspensions.
"Hopefully what we're going to teach them is how to avoid collisions and how to be defensive drivers," said Doddington.
"It teaches you the process of kind of the step by step process of looking around and identifying a problem before it becomes a problem and knowing how to react to that if it does," said student driver Jacob Nicholson.
Today's lesson has taken the students outside the classroom with the hopes they'll learn more about driver behavior.
"We have them looking for distractions such as cell phone use, pets in their lap eating, smoking," said Pam Sciotto, the driving instructor.
Sciotto says she hopes these classes can teach students to become good drivers that lead by example. "So what I'm hoping these student will come away with is that they get in the care they'll realize how important it is for them to obey the law and follow the rules."
The study also found that parents who supervise their teens while driving play an important key in improved safety.
A new study shows that the state's teen driving laws are making an impact when it comes to safety.
The study says Oregon's graduated licensing program has improved safety since it started in 2000, but it also shows that taking an approved driver's education class can also contribute to safety.
For many teens getting a driver's license is a rite of passage and a step towards freedom.
"Independence is a huge key thing and just being able to have control on where you're going, it's just really great," said student driver Maddie Kiplinger.
But with the privilege comes responsibility and that's why there's a class full of teens enrolled at the Oregon Driver Training Institute. They've signed up to take an Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) approved course geared at establishing safe driving habits.
"These good driving habits are going to eliminate you from making mistakes by anticipating problems ahead of time," said Lana Doddington of the Oregon Driver Training Institute.
A new national study found that Oregon teens who took an ODOT-approved driver's education course had fewer crashes, traffic convictions and suspensions.
"Hopefully what we're going to teach them is how to avoid collisions and how to be defensive drivers," said Doddington.
"It teaches you the process of kind of the step by step process of looking around and identifying a problem before it becomes a problem and knowing how to react to that if it does," said student driver Jacob Nicholson.
Today's lesson has taken the students outside the classroom with the hopes they'll learn more about driver behavior.
"We have them looking for distractions such as cell phone use, pets in their lap eating, smoking," said Pam Sciotto, the driving instructor.
Sciotto says she hopes these classes can teach students to become good drivers that lead by example. "So what I'm hoping these student will come away with is that they get in the care they'll realize how important it is for them to obey the law and follow the rules."
The study also found that parents who supervise their teens while driving play an important key in improved safety.
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