Taylor White Foundation
Driver Training and Simulator Project
As part of the TBW Foundation goal to support an environment that fosters teens ability to explore themselves we want to develop safe drivers who have good habits and good critical thinking skills to improve driver safety rates amongst teens.
Description: This project is modeled after a successful model used in Forsythe County, GA that introduced drivers’ training back into the schools with the financial support of service clubs. In addition to the drivers’ training, they also purchased simulators that give kids “virtual” time behind the wheel in addition to instructor time behind the wheel. They have been successful in cutting down the number of major car accidents from teen drivers.
Target audience: 14-16 year olds
Background data: "In 2000, the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Juvenile Justice sponsored an assessment of underage drinking in Alaska. Investigators examined statewide efforts and data and conducted more detailed inquiries by interviewing 203 key informants from 17 rural and urban sample communities. The consequences of underage drinking in Alaska are reflected in an increase in the number of alcohol-related accidents among youth requiring hospitalization of 66.3% between 1991 and 1998. Over this period, Alaska averaged 30 suicide attempts annually among youth where alcohol was a factor.
According to the Alaska Highway Safety Office 2006 Annual Report, a third of alcohol impaired drivers and 47% of speeding drivers were under the age of 26. Furthermore, 1,516 traffic crashes and six traffic fatalities involved drivers aged 14-20. According to the 2003 YRBS results, 11.3% of Alaska youth self-reported driving and drinking." (National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Juneau Affiliate. (2006). Underage Drinking in Juneau: A Status Report.)
Also, please see attached data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation.
Potential Partners/Collaborators: Juneau Police Department, Department of Transportation and Safety, Juneau School District, Southeast Regional Resource Center
Timeline: The foundation has begun work on this project and the goal is to have the simulators, curriculum and instructors in place for the beginning of the 2011 school year.
Budget: We estimate the funding for this project to be $100,000 dollars. Each simulator is approximately $12,000. The Executive Director for the Forsyth Project estimates we will need 6 simulators if we replicate their ratio of simulator to student. We also plan to purchase 2 go carts that are used to allow real driving experience in a safe controlled situation where kids can see how a moving vehicle responds to impaired driving. Each go cart is $14,000.