FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, May 1, 2015
Contact: Kristen Schulze Muszynski
Work: 626-8404/Cell: 441-7638

Maine BMV and The Parent?s Supervised Driving Program Support Global Youth Traffic Safety Month

AUGUSTA ? In recognition of Global Youth Traffic Safety Month, the Maine Department of the Secretary of State?s Bureau of Motor Vehicles is reminding parents of the resources available to them when teaching their teenagers to drive.

Global Youth Traffic Safety Month, organized by the nonprofit National Organizations for Youth Safety, draws attention to the specific actions parents can take to insure that teens get the right experience to become safe drivers. Motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death for youth in our nation, with more than 6,000 youth dying in crashes annually.

The BMV has partnered with The Parent?s Supervised Driving Program on a handbook that provides parents with a thorough approach to teaching safe driving skills to their teens. The program provides a resource to help parents make sure their teens are fully prepared to drive alone, once they receive their provisional license. Sponsorship support from Ford Motor Co., Vermont Mutual Insurance and Irving Oil allows the BMV to provide this valuable resource to parents of teen drivers at no cost to families or to taxpayers.

In addition to the program booklet, parents and teens are encouraged to download the Program?s free mobile app, RoadReady?, to easily and accurately track the time they spend together behind the wheel.

The BMV also provides a parent/teen driving contract, which gives parents a starting point of issues they may want to discuss with their teen and perimeters they could set.

Deputy Secretary of State for the BMV Patty Morneault reminds teens to be safe on the road by taking these safety steps:

  • Wear a seat belt ? EVERY RIDE, EVERY TIME
  • Follow the speed limit
  • Adhere to the provisions of your license or permit
  • Pull over to make a call or text a friend
  • Avoid drowsy driving by getting enough rest
  • NEVER get in a car with ANYONE who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol