TITLE: Commemorating the 15th anniversary of the Teens in the Driver Seat program.

SUMMARY: Commemorating the 15th anniversary of the Teens in the Driver Seat program.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The Teens in the Driver Seat program is marking the 15th anniversary of its founding in May 2017; and WHEREAS, Launched in 2002 by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, with sponsorship from the Texas Department of Transportation and State Farm Insurance, Teens in the Driver Seat seeks to address the issue of motor vehicle crashes as the leading cause of death for young people in the United States; and WHEREAS, Each year, thousands of teenagers nationwide, including hundreds in Texas, are killed in vehicle collisions, and many times that number sustain serious injuries; TDS works to empower teen drivers and passengers to speak out about unsafe driving behaviors and to educate their peers, families, and communities on seat belt safety, speeding, and impaired, drowsy, and distracted driving; the nonprofit program also maintains a Teen Advisory Board, whose members regularly engage in such activities as traffic safety fairs, speaker assemblies, grassroots on-campus outreach, and the annual Teen Driver Safety Summit; and WHEREAS, TDS has been implemented in nearly 1,000 junior high and high schools in Texas, and it has served more than 1.3 million students across the country; moreover, it has been cited as a leading contributor to the recent decline in fatal crashes involving young drivers in the Lone Star State; the program has won numerous awards, and it has been honored four times as a best practices model by the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Governors Highway Safety Association, and the National Safety Council; and WHEREAS, For the past decade and a half, Teens in the Driver Seat has played a vital role in addressing one of the most urgent safety and public health issues facing our state and nation, and it is indeed worthy of recognition for the positive impact it has had on countless young lives; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas Legislature hereby commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Teens in the Driver Seat program and extend to all those associated with the initiative sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for the program as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Bernal Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1949 was adopted by the House on May 12, 2017, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House