What is OTSD?
 

Illinois is determined to save teen lives!

In the spring of 2007, Operation Teen Safe Driving was launched in rural Tazewell County after authorities noticed that automobile crashes took 15 teen lives in 15 consecutive months. In the 2 years since Operation Teen Safe Driving was implemented there have been no additional teen fatalities in Tazewell County.

After the success in rural Tazewell County, the Ford Motor Company Fund and the Governors Highway Safety Association agreed to team up, once again, with the Illinois Department of Transportation’s (IDOT) Division of Traffic Safety (DTS) and the Allstate Foundation, to take this lifesaving program statewide in 2008. Our mission was to provide the initiative and resources required to challenge the creativity of Illinois teens to develop and implement community-based programs to reduce fatalities and injuries due to traffic crashes among their peers.

Sponsors of this program include Governor Rod R. Blagojevich, Secretary of State (SOS) Jesse White, Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Secretary Milton Sees, Illinois State Police (ISP) Director Larry Trent, Illinois Liquor Control Commission Director Lainie Krozel, the Ford Motor Company Fund, the Allstate Foundation and the Governors Highway Safety Association.

Financial assistance is a key component to the success of this program as it provides the incentive to challenge students and their communities to participate. With the partnership of the Ford Motor Company Fund and the Allstate Foundation, combined with IDOT resources, applications are mailed to all Illinois high schools. In December 2007, we were elated when 225 high schools from across the state applied and offered to accept the challenge. In January 2008, 105 high schools were selected, 15 from each of the seven statewide regions, by a panel of judges represented by our partners, regional coordinators, as well as IDOT, SOS, ISP and other agency staff. The selection process required students to identify issues relating to traffic safety in their community (i.e., underage drinking, driving unbuckled, driving impaired, driving distracted). Students were then required to provide information explaining how they would combat the traffic safety problem and implement a teen awareness program in their school and community.

Each selected school was provided a “start-up toolkit” which included strategic items and tips to help develop a plan in an effort to have a positive impact on teen drivers. In addition, all of the 105 selected schools received seed money of $1,000 from IDOT/DTS and $1,000 from the Allstate Foundation to begin the process as well as guidelines for cost accountability for the money.

Most of the selected schools developed and implemented a high school based program and presented a report at the conclusion of the program. One school in each of the seven regions was selected as having the best program and received $5,000 for a post prom event as well as $3,000 to continue their program. Second place schools in each region received $2,000 for program continuation while third place schools got $1,500 for program continuation. Every school that submitted a final report was eligible to receive $1,000 for program continuation. A list of the winning schools and sample presentations from the top schools are available on this website.

The top 4 schools from each region were invited to send students to a “Ride and Drive” event sponsored by the Ford Motor Company Fund. At this event students got to observe professional drivers on three separate courses demonstrating critical driving skills. Then the teens got to drive the same courses with the professional driver sitting in the passenger seat to provide tips and assistance. The “Ride and Drives” were held at US Cellular Field in Chicago, the Peoria National Guard Base in Bartonville and Mid America Airport in Mascoutah. Areas in which the students had an opportunity to learn improved driving skills included Hazard Recognition/Accident Avoidance, Vehicle Handling/ Skid Control and Speed/Space Management.

We look forward to the 2008-2009 Operation Teen Safe Driving program. High school students are incredibly creative and, with proper adult supervision, will come up with new and creative ways to get the message across to their peers about safe driving. Two of my favorite slogans from last year’s program were “Don’t Drive Intexticated” and “TXTN N DRVN, DNT EVN THNK ABT IT”. Both of these programs were aimed at educating teens about the dangers of text messaging while driving.