1. Opening General Session
Opening remarks:
Thank you & welcome comments…..
-NHTSA is a global leader in motor vehicle and highway safety.
-Mission: Save lives, prevent injuries and reduce economic costs due to road traffic crashes, through education, research, safety standards and enforcement activity.
-Through enforcing vehicle performance standards and partnerships with state and local governments, NHTSA reduces deaths, injuries and economic losses from motor vehicle crashes
Opening General Session
Keith Williams, Chief, Enforcement & Justice Services, NHTSA, USDOT
62nd Annual ADTSEA Conference
Rosemont, Illinois

2. NHTSA Mission
“Save lives, prevent injuries and reduce economic costs due to road traffic crashes, through education, research, safety standards and enforcement activity.”

3. Young Driver Motor Vehicle Crashes#
Young Driver Motor Vehicle Crashes
Leading cause of death for teens in the United States
-Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the United States - ahead of all other types of injury, disease, or violence.
-There were 1,972 teen drivers of passenger vehicles involved in fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2015.
-An estimated 99,000 teen passenger vehicle drivers were injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes.
-teen motor vehicle crashes are preventable, and proven strategies can improve the safety of young drivers on the road.
-the impacts of these senseless tragedies on families and society are immeasurable.
-Passenger vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of death among American teens, accounting for approximately one-third of all deaths of 16- to 19-year-olds each year
-Teen drivers are involved in vehicle crashes not because they are uninformed about the basic rules of the road or safe driving practices; rather, studies show teens are involved in crashes as a result of inexperience and risk-taking.
NOTE: NHTSA young driver data refers to teens age yrs old operating a motor vehicle involved in a crash.
Contributing Factors:
Impairment
Distractions (mobile phones, navigation systems)
Lack of seat belt use
Additional Passengers
Speed
Lack of experience
Risky behaviors

4. How does NHTSA Support Driver Education? Information Sharing System
(ANSTSE)
NTDETAS Standards
NTDETAS Strategic Plan
NHTSA State Assessments
Information Sharing System
-Through research, community partnerships (such as yourself), State safety grant programs, and public awareness campaigns such as National Teen Driver Safety Week, NHTSA demonstrates its dedication to promoting safe teen driving and more specifically Driver Education.
-NHTSA supports DE through a variety of different efforts.
-Through the support of our stakeholders organizations and the folks here today the initiatives displayed here are possible.
-Driver education and training standards help organizations successfully administer and provide quality and uniform driver education and training that is consistent with the latest advances in methodology, subject matter, and technology.
-The Novice Teen Driver Education and Training Administrative Standards (NTDETAS) is designed to strengthen and enhance driver education programs. The learning-to-drive experience is a lifelong process, and driver education and training should be a phased, important part of this process and to assist in the reduction of teen crashes and fatalities.
-Formal driver education programs exist in almost every jurisdiction in the United States, and these programs are vital to educating young drivers.
-These programs generally mirror States’ specific driving requirements, which ensures novice drivers are being taught information relevant to their State’s requirements.

5. The Importance of DE Educators#
The Importance of DE Educators
-Data shows that without structured classroom time and direction, teen drivers face greater risks behind the wheel.
-According to data from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Nebraska Prevention Center of Alcohol and Drug Abuse), teen drivers who have not completed a driver education program are 24 percent more likely to be involved in a fatal or injurious crash.
-Studies like this validate the importance and effectiveness of DE.
-In addition to a strong DE program it is even more critical to have DE educators & professionals that are involved in the life long learning process of education novice and existing drivers.
-With the rapid advances in vehicle technology DE professional will play an integral part in educating ALL drivers in the near future as ALL drivers will become novice to the technology.
-NHTSA is dedicated to promoting safe behaviors on our Nations roadways
-Through research, community partnerships, State safety grant programs, and public awareness campaigns such as National Teen Driver Safety Week, NHTSA demonstrates its dedication to promoting safe teen driving.
-National Teen Driver Safety Week is set for October 21-27, WE encourage you to visit trafficcsafetymarketing.gov for the latest materials for educators and teens.
-YOU hold the KEY to the success of novice drivers.
-We thank you for your continued dedication to traffic safety and education ALL drivers.
CLOSEOUT….

6. Closing remarks:
Thank you & final comments…..
THANK YOU!
Keith Williams, Chief, Enforcement & Justice Services, NHTSA, USDOT
62nd Annual ADTSEA Conference