Do You Know a Teen Who's About to Begin Driving?

Do you remember Red Asphalt — the CHP-produced educational film that tried to scare teens into safe driving with real footage of road wrecks? Inevitably, the gore of the Red Asphalt series was so thoroughly exaggerated by older students trying to rattle underclassmen that, by the time you finally saw it in drivers ed, the movie was a disappointment. 

Drivers ed is all but gone from high schools these days, but the California Highway Patrol is still trying to teach teens to drive safely. The following is from the CHP's Contra Costa County office in Martinez: 

"The statistics are frightening. Teen drivers are found at fault in 66% of ALL FATAL collisions that they are involved in, although they only represent 4% of the state’s licensed drivers. The leading cause of DEATH for Americans 15 to 20 years old is motor vehicle collisions. What can a parent do to prevent this horrible tragedy from happening to their teen?

The California Highway Patrol, Contra Costa Office conducts a two hour driver safety education class called Start Smart, which targets new and future licensed teenage drivers 15 through 19 years of age and their parents or legal guardians.

To enroll yourself and your teen in one of the upcoming Start Smart classes contact the California Highway Patrol, Contra Costa Office at 925-646-4980 or visit our office in person at 5001 Blum Road in Martinez."