Teens participate in free driving safety event
Grand Forks, ND – Vision Zero hosted a free, one-day safety event yesterday for nearly 80 drivers ages 14-18 at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks.
Vision Zero Driving Skills for Success gave teens the opportunity to drive through a closed course with various types of distractions, view the consequences of not wearing a seat belt through the rollover simulator and experience virtual simulators that focused on impaired and distracted driving prevention. Each scenario allowed the driver to feel or witness the real-life effect their choices can have in a controlled environment.
Other important stations included teaching teens how to parallel park and what to do if their vehicle gets a flat tire through a car care clinic. In addition to these interactive stations, drivers also had the opportunity to participate in the North Dakota Safety Council’s (NDSC) Alive at 25 defensive driving course.
In 2023 in North Dakota, teen drivers made up only 6% of all licensed drivers, yet they were involved in nearly 20% of all crashes and 6% of fatal crashes. Because of these statistics, it is important to continually educate teen drivers and provide them with opportunities to enhance their driving skills. Vision Zero Driving Skills for Success (DSFS) is designed to give teens the tools they need to become safer, more responsible drivers—supporting the goal of Vision Zero: eliminating fatalities and serious injuries on North Dakota roadways.
This safety event was in partnership with the NDDOT, NDSC – Alive at 25, Rydell Chevrolet, UND Police Department, Grand Forks Sheriff’s Office, Grand Forks Police Department, North Dakota Highway Parol, ABATE of ND, ND Motor Carriers Association, Elite Driving School, U-Haul, Safe Kids Grand Forks, Minnesota Toward Zero Deaths, Strata Corporation, and the Vision Zero Outreach Coordinators.
For more information on the Vision Zero traffic safety initiative, visit VisionZero.ND.gov.