The California Highway Patrol is asking parents and teens to take some time to attend a free driving safety class aimed at young motorists on Thursday, April 14, 2016 at the Monterey Area CHP office at 6:00 PM in Salinas.

In 2014, 3,179 people were killed and an additional 431,000 were injured in collisions involving distracted drivers in all 50 states. That same year, inattention collisions resulted in the death of 104 people and the injury of 11,436 others in California.

“Driving a car is one of the riskiest activities any of us undertake on a daily basis and it is especially dangerous for our most novice drivers – teens,” Kelly Browning, Ph.D., Executive Director of Impact Teen Drivers (ITD), said. “For the first time in over 50 years, traffic deaths have increased eight percent despite decades of vehicle design improvements and traffic safety advancements. Simply put, we need to change our behavior behind the wheel. We need to keep both hands on the wheel, both eyes on the road, and our minds on driving. Focus on the road ahead to get to where you’re going safely – we all have loved ones counting on us.”

“Behind every distracted driving death is a story of loss. In the blink of an eye, lives can be transformed forever,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “Scrolling through song lists on a cell phone, or texting while driving is not just irresponsible, it can have tragic consequences. We’re calling on drivers to put down their devices and help keep the roadways safe for all Americans.”

For additional information about CHP programs, visit our website at www.chp.ca.gov. or call the Monterey Area CHP office at (831)796-2100

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.