SUDBURY, October 20, 2015 – While young drivers make up 13 per cent of all licensed drivers in Canada, they account for almost one-fourth of all road-related injuries and fatalities. Vale, the Sudbury Road Safety Committee and Lively District Secondary School is partnering with Parachute and their national partner State Farm for National Teen Driver Safety Week (NTDSW), taking place October 19-25, 2015 to raise awareness and improve road safety for teens.

Now in its third year, Parachute’s National Teen Driver Safety Week is an annual public awareness campaign aimed at reducing distracted, aggressive and impaired driving – the leading cause of preventable injury and death among teens.

One in four young adults know someone who has been impacted as a result of distracted driving, which is why Parachute and its local partners are calling on everyone to be a #BFF and #PracticeSafeText.

“Teen fatalities behind the wheel are completely preventable,” says Lively District Secondary School Principal Leslie Mantle. “Through National Teen Driver Safety Week, we are working to raise awareness of the devastating effect of distracted driving and encourage young drivers to focus on the road, not their phones.”

“More than 51 per cent of young adults admit to distracted driving, although almost all are aware of its dangers,” said Rick Carr, Constable with the Greater Sudbury Police. “Recent polls indicate 80 per cent of young adults would speak up if they saw their friend doing the same.”

“Using a smartphone while driving quadruples the risk of a crash and taking your eyes of the road for more than two seconds doubles the risk of getting into a collision,” said Angie Robson, Vale’s Manager of Corporate & Aboriginal Affairs. “We are proud to partner with Parachute and our local partners to raise awareness to keep our youth safe.”

“We all know the dangers of distracted driving, so it’s time we change our habits,” says Louise Logan, Parachute’s President and CEO. “Friends have great influence in our lives and can help us spark that change. Parachute is encouraging friends to curb the texting and don’t let your best friends text and drive. It’s not worth the risk.”

About Parachute

Parachute is a national charity helping Canadians stop the clock on preventable injuries. The injury impact is staggering. Preventable injuries cost the Canadian economy $27B a year, and worst of all, one child dies every nine hours. Through education, knowledge and empowerment, Parachute is working to save lives and create an injury-free Canada. For information, visit us at parachutecanada.org, follow us on Twitter, or join us on Facebook.