Parachute’s National Teen Driver Safety Week October 17 to 23 aims to reduce speeding and teach teens about driving safely without drug or alcohol impairment, distraction and aggression, as well as the importance of rail safety.
National Teen Driver Safety Week (NTDSW), an annual public awareness campaign aimed at educating young drivers about road safety, is calling on teens to recognize that #SpeedIsNoGame on our city streets and highways.
Running from October 17 to 23 and supported by Desjardins and CN, the awareness week aims to reduce speeding that causes serious and fatal injuries.
“Young drivers killed in a collision are more likely to be speeding at the time of the crash than other age groups,” says Pamela Fuselli, President and CEO, Parachute. ” Teens need to know that speed is no game, as drivers who speed excessively are at higher risk for crashes and more severe injuries, and pedestrians struck by a driver at higher speeds are less likely to survive.”
During the week of October 17 to 23, teens, parents and influencers will be participating in virtual NTDSW promotions and activities across Canadian communities. Educating teens about drunk, drug-impaired, distracted, and aggressive driving, as well as rail safety, are part of the 2021 NTDSW campaign.
Canadian Nicholas Latifi, a driver with the Williams Formula One team, will be promoting #SpeedIsNoGame messaging to his fans who follow him on Instagram, Twitter and Twitch. “As a Formula One driver, I know how dangers speed can be,” Latifi says. “The stats are pretty grim. Road crashes are a leading cause of deaths among young Canadians.”
In addition, Latifi will be featured in a national billboard and digital board campaign throughout NTDSW thanks to donations of billboard and digital board space from Outfront Media and Vendo Media.
World-champion snowboarder and Olympic silver medallist Laurie Blouin will be producing and sharing videos for our #SpeedIsNoGame campaign with her social media followers. Blouin, from Québec, will be supporting our work as a bilingual spokesperson for road and rail safety.
“Speed is part of my sport but it’s important to know how excess speed on our roads can result in crashes and serious injury,” says Blouin. “Drivers not only put themselves at risk, but they can harm their passengers and road users such as cyclists and pedestrians.”
“The safety of all road users is a top priority for Desjardins. It’s critical that we continue to work with our partners to help prevent the needless loss of life,” said Valérie Lavoie, President and Chief Operating Officer, Desjardins General Insurance Group. “For young drivers, motor vehicle collisions are a leading cause of death but these injuries and fatalities can be prevented. That’s why we’re proud to support National Teen Driver Safety week and are sharing safety messages with young drivers, their friends and their families, hoping to reduce the risks of the road and help save lives.”
“Rail safety is a shared responsibility and CN encourages all young drivers across the country to be “Rail Smart” all year around,” says Stephen Covey, Chief of Police and Chief Security Officer at CN. “We want to make sure that young drivers know the importance of being alert when approaching rail property and crossings. That means, not being distracted by electronic devices, obey all railway signs and remember that trains can come at any time, from any direction and on any tracks.”
Visit www.parachute.ca/ntdsw to learn more about National Teen Driver Safety Week and download our free resources for education and social media sharing.