Fw: Pepperell earns honors for teen driving program

Photo: Reserve Sgt. Jerry Treglown rides along with a participant in the recent SADD Driving Expo held at Kmart in Rome. 

Media release: Pepperell High School was recently named as an Outstanding School by Teens in the Driver Seat for the student's efforts to help their peers become safer drivers. Pepperell High School was one of only two schools named in Georgia.  Teens in the Driver Seat, a peer-to-peer program designed to help teens develop and deliver safety messaging, named Pepperell because of the students at the school's exceptional activity efforts in promoting safe driving and completion of program requirements. "Our students in the Pepperell SADD Chapter are hard workers with a passion to educate their peers and the community about road and driving safety," stated Alana Ellenburg, adviser for the Pepperell High School SADD Chapter. "Our  students strive to be role models for their peers and make a difference in the world around them so we are very proud and elated to be named an Outstanding School."

Pepperell's SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) members implemented the program two years ago to combat the number-one killer of teens in America. The team has held three Safe Driving Expos, spreading their safe driving message to Rome and Floyd County communities. Unlike other safety initiatives targeting young people behind the wheel, Teens in the Drivers Seat involves teens directly to help develop and deliver the right safety messages covering the five main risks that plague young drivers.  The top issues for teen drivers include: driving at night; distractions, primarily cell phones, texting and other teen passengers; speeding; failure to use seat belts and alcohol. "Most young drivers don't know that they're far more likely to die in a crash than people in other age groups," says program creator Russell Henk of TTI. "But they need to hear the message from a source they trust; they need to hear it from each other. That's what Teens in the Driver Seat is all about."

The Teens in the Driver Seat program is the nation's first peer-to-peer program focused exclusively on driving safety, and it is available to Georgia schools through funding support from the Georgia Department of Transportation. Schools interested in starting the program can learn more at www.t-driver.com.