Last week I attended the Annual Meeting of the National Organizations for Youth Safety, www.noys.org, and picked up the following news items to pass along:
First, with regard to federal safe teen driving legislation, recall that in Congress, what was known as the STANDUP (Safe Teen And Novice Driver Uniform Protection) Act has morphed into a section of the omnibus federal transportation bill that is now in a House-Senate conference committee. Section 402 of the bill would provide about $22 million dollars for incentives for states to improve their safe teen driving laws to meet a national minimum standard, and to encourage programs aimed at teens, including peer-to-peer programs. The teen driving provisions appear in the Senate version but not the House version. The group Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, www.saferoads.org. and others are hard at work with the conference committee members, trying to keep the Senate provision in the final bill and getting the final bill passed. This bill would be a major stride forward for safe teen driving.
Second, in connection with the national launch of Global Youth Traffic Safety Month, Project Yellow Light (see my Nov. 5, 2011 post) made its first scholarship award in a national safe teen driving video. You must watch the winning video: it is creative and impactful, and can be seen at www.projectyellowlight.com. I learned that the winner is a high school student in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Bravo!
