2023 National Teen Driver Safety Week focuses on empowering youth to improve road safety

TORONTO, Oct. 10, 2023 /CNW/ - Canada's national injury prevention organization, Parachute, presents the 11^th annual National Teen Driver Safety Week (NTDSW) from October 15 to 21, 2023. This awareness week builds public awareness of young driver safety issues and encourage communities to be part of the solution. This year's NTDSW will focus on youth as changemakers, to highlight and support young Canadians' role in improving road safety, using the theme #OurFutureRoads.

As part of NTDSW this year, Parachute launched the Youth Road Safety Grant Program. It encourages youth to take the lead on road safety awareness and advocacy by supporting local, engaging, youth-initiated projects that educate young people and community members on pressing road safety issues and safe driving behaviour or advocate for positive change in their communities.

Our messages and resources allow stakeholders and partners to understand and prioritize young driver safety issues in their communities, engage people in the conversation about young driver safety and encourage young people to spearhead solutions that will improve road safety for all.

"With road crashes being the third-leading cause of death among people aged 15 to 24 years old, this age demographic has the highest rate of involvement in fatal collisions per 100,000 licensed drivers," says Pamela Fuselli, Parachute's President and CEO. "Why is this so? Peers can encourage unsafe driving behaviours, such as speeding or impaired driving; Young drivers are more likely than middle-aged drivers to drive while distracted due to inexperience, maturity level and overestimating their ability to multitask; and young people may have limited driving experience, meaning that they may not understand road rules, are not able to safely handle dangerous driving situations and have less ability to control the vehicle."

Youth can be powerful champions. When youth advocate for young driver safety, it shifts the culture around driving behaviour, proving that being a responsible driver, and advocating for others to do so, can be empowering. Parachute's research has identified the following road safety concerns highlighted by young Canadians:

• Infrastructure changes in their communities, such as installing speed bumps, bicycle lanes or addition of a crossing guard to a school zone.
• Improved public and active transportation options, such as expanding public transit networks and installing e-bike and e-scooter stations.
• Improved law enforcement presence and surveillance.
• Greater and more equitable driver education access.

"Desjardins Insurance is extremely proud to support Parachute and its work in Vision Zero, says Valérie Lavoie, President and COO of Desjardins General Insurance Group. "As we shift the conversation and begin to recognize youth as powerful stakeholders in road safety, we encourage them to advocate for Vision Zero and Safe Systems Approaches to create safer roads for them, their families and communities."

To get resources to support National Teen Driver safety week, go to parachute.ca/ntdsw

Parachute is Canada's national charity dedicated to reducing the devastating impact of preventable injuries. Injury is the No. 1 killer of Canadians aged 1 to 44 and costs the Canadian economy $29.4 billion annually. Through education and advocacy, Parachute is working to save lives and create a Canada free of serious injuries. For more information, visit us at parachute.ca and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Desjardins Group is the largest cooperative financial group in North America and the fifth largest cooperative financial group in the world, with assets of $407.1 billion. It was named one of the World's Top Female-Friendly Companies by Forbes magazine. To meet the diverse needs of its members and clients, Desjardins offers a full range of products and services to individuals and businesses through its extensive distribution network, online platforms, and subsidiaries across Canada. Ranked among the world's strongest banks according to The Banker magazine, Desjardins has some of the highest capital ratios and credit ratings in the industry.

SOURCE Parachute