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Peer-led safety program in Michigan targets teen drivers

Cars driving on a highway. The photo is taken from a bridge looking down at the road. The sun is either setting or rising, so most of the road is in shadow.
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The "Strive for a Safer Drive" program gives qualifying schools $1,000 to create their own traffic safety campaigns in hopes of reducing crash-related fatalities.

An Ingham County high school is among three dozen in Michigan participating in a peer-led teen safe driving program.

The Wilson Talent Center in Mason will take part in the “Strive for a Safer Drive” program.

The project gives qualifying schools $1,000 to create their own traffic safety campaigns in hopes of reducing crash-related fatalities.

Program coordinator Kayla Thomas Wright says Wilson Talent Center students are producing a short video to present to their peers and the community.

“Within this story documentary that they will be doing, they will be covering nighttime and distracted driving, and then they’ll also be covering speeding, bicycle safety and pedestrian safety,” Wright said.

Wright said organizers will measure students’ knowledge of safe driving before and after the program.

“We will analyze that data to see what did the students not really know before, and then when they do that post-test," she said. "That really allows us to measure their knowledge after they were educated within the campaign."

The Strive for a Safer Drive program is now in its 12th year.

Wright says the Wilson Talent Center campaign is expected to be presented to about 900 students.

Kevin Lavery served as a general assignment reporter and occasional local host for Morning Edition and All Things Considered before retiring in 2023.
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