Distracted driving can turn deadly quickly. The 100 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day are coined The 100 Deadliest Days of Summer because it’s the time of year when the most teens are killed in vehicle crashes.
Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center teamed up with CHP and IMPACT Teen Drivers for presentations at several local schools, including Templeton High School last week, to talk about the dangers of distracted driving. Over 4,000 teens die as a result of traffic collisions annually in the U.S., but a higher percentage of deaths occur over the summer months.
Miguel Alvarez, SLO CHP’s public information officer, says cutting back on distracted driving deaths starts with parents or guardians setting the right example.
“I could preach it all day long. At the end of the day, if we're out there on the phone, our kids are going to follow that example,” said Alvarez. “Four-thousand teen deaths that occur every year because of traffic collisions, I can’t tangibly change that number. They ultimately have to choose it for themselves.”
“As far as crashes go, we see a lot of teens coming into our facility, and caring for those people, I have a daughter. She's 14. Seeing somebody that you're caring for that resembles a family member, or a friend, or a niece or nephew, really pulls at your heart,” said Katelyn Malo, Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center's Trauma Department Injury Prevention Coordinator.
Alvarez says CHP is open to presenting their programs at more schools around the area. If you would like a presentation at your teen’s school, contact CHP.
