LAKE COUNTY >> The Clear Lake Area California Highway Patrol (CHP) will offer a free-of-charge “Start Smart” traffic safety class for teenage drivers and their parents/guardians. The class will run approximately two hours and will be offered on Aug. 13 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the CHP office in Kelseyville.
The leading cause of death for Americans 15-20 years old is motor vehicle crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; and the CHP”s goal is to reduce the death rate among teenagers as the result of these crashes. The CHP”s Start Smart program is aimed at helping newly licensed and future licensed teenage drivers understand the critical responsibilities of driving, and to understand that accidents happen, but collisions are 100 percent preventable, according to Officer Kory Reynolds, CHP public information officer.
The program is designed to provide teens and their parents/guardians with an interactive safe driving awareness class which will illustrate how poor choices behind the wheel of a car can affect the lives of numerous people, Reynolds stated. Start Smart also focuses on responsibilities of newly licensed drivers, responsibilities of parents/guardians and collision avoidance techniques.
“The CHP wants to make our resources available to parents and teens when they have questions or issues about new driver development. We want to make ourselves available to the public to allow them to call or come down to talk face to face regarding any issue,” Lt. Greg Baarts said. “This is a valuable program for parents and their newly licensed or soon-to-be licensed teen”
Space is limited for this class and it is the last one to be offered this year in the Lake County area. For information or reservations, call Reynolds at the CHP office at 279-0103.
