The Garland Youth Council (GYC) will host its annual “Teens in the Driver Seat” Day at Firewheel Town Center on Saturday, March 6, 2010. The event focuses on safe-driving for teens and will take place in the park at Firewheel Town Center from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Garland Youth Council and student teams from all seven Garland ISD high school campuses launched the “Teens in the Driver Seat” (TDS) program in 2007. The program’s goal is to make teen drivers and their passengers more aware of the behaviors that put them at greater risk of being involved in a car crash. The program utilizes the power of peer-to-peer communication to spread its message.
Each student team will facilitate a game or activity to help their peers understand these important safety messages. Some of those activities include a chance to wear a special set of goggles that simulate the effects of alcohol, participation in a seatbelt pledge drive, and much more.
One of the interactive exhibits will feature the Amber Menefee Mobile Memorial Trailer. The exhibit includes the actual wreckage from a car crash involving a drunk driver. 21-year old Amber Menefee was killed in that crash. This moving and educational exhibit will help teens understand the importance of NOT mixing alcohol or drugs with driving.
The North Texas Tollway Authority is teaming up with the GYC for the first time to help educate young drivers about how to safely navigate highways and freeways. Staff members from the NTTA will provide the latest safety information compiled by a team of in-house experts.
“The NTTA is very pleased to participate in this worthwhile program which has already proven to enhance the safety of teens in cars,” said Marty Legé, Director of the System and Incident Management Department at the North Texas Tollway Authority. “Teens and young adults, as in all aspects of their lives, have many lessons to learn about driving. We feel it is tremendously valuable to help them learn these lessons through educational programs and demonstrations where they can do it safely, rather than a hard lesson learned through tragedy on a roadway. I encourage parents and community members to support these events as we focus on helping these young drivers who share our roads now and in the future,” Ms. Legé said.
Special information for parents will be provided by Dee Dee Bates State Farm Insurance about how to train your teen to be a safe driver. The theme will be “Arrive Alive… Don’t Text and Drive.” The State Farm booth will offer information about keeping auto insurance rates lower with a teen driver in the family.
Firewheel Town Center is providing discount coupons for a variety of Town Center stores for youth who visit the GYC booth during the event, as well as special gifts for each participating high school student team.
For more information about Teens in the Driver Seat Day and the Garland Youth Council, visit www.GarlandYouthCouncil.org or call 972-205-2879.