PRINTER'S NO. 2545
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
556
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY WATSON, CONKLIN, HENNESSEY, PICKETT, BOBACK,
SAYLOR, WARD, BAKER, BIZZARRO, R. BROWN, BURNS, CALTAGIRONE,
SCHLEGEL CULVER, DAVIS, DEAN, DiGIROLAMO, DRISCOLL, DUSH,
KAUFFMAN, W. KELLER, KINSEY, LONGIETTI, MACKENZIE, MARSICO,
MILLARD, NEILSON, PASHINSKI, PETRI, READSHAW, ROZZI, RYAN,
SCHLOSSBERG, SONNEY, STAATS, WARREN, V. BROWN AND SCHWEYER,
OCTOBER 10, 2017
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
OCTOBER 10, 2017
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the week of October 15 through 21, 2017, as
"National Teen Driver Safety Week" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death
for adolescents and young adults in the United States, and many
of these deaths are preventable; and
WHEREAS, In 2014, there were 2,679 teen passenger vehicle
drivers between 15 and 19 years of age involved in fatal crashes
and approximately 123,000 teens were injured; and
WHEREAS, The crash rate in the United States for teen
drivers, based on miles driven, is nearly three times the crash
rate for drivers 20 years of age or older; and
WHEREAS, The majority of teen driver crashes in the United
States are due to a critical driver error, with four common
errors accounting for nearly half of all serious crashes:
driving too fast for road conditions; being distracted; not
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paying careful attention to road hazards; and drunk or drugged
driving, which accounts for 22% of fatal teen crashes; and
WHEREAS, More than half of teenagers killed in motor vehicle
accidents in the United States each year did not use seat belts;
and
WHEREAS, Approximately 54% of teen passenger deaths in the
United States occur while other teenagers are driving; and
WHEREAS, The presence of teen passengers increases the crash
risk of unsupervised teen drivers, and this risk increases with
the number of teen passengers; and
WHEREAS, The crash risk is particularly high during the first
year that teenagers are eligible to drive; and
WHEREAS, In 2015, in Pennsylvania, drivers under 21 years of
age were involved in 23,964 traffic crashes; and
WHEREAS, Young drivers are the least experienced and traffic
crashes involving drivers 16 to 19 years of age are most often
the result of a critical driver error, such as speed,
distraction or failure to detect a hazard; and
WHEREAS, It is necessary to explore effective ways to reduce
the crash risk for young drivers by focusing research and
outreach efforts on areas of teen driving that show the most
promise for improving safety; and
WHEREAS, The National Young Driver Survey, developed with
input from teenagers and administered by Children's Hospital of
Philadelphia, demonstrates a nationwide need to increase overall
awareness about the safe use of electronic handheld devices, the
risks of nighttime and fatigued driving, the importance of
consistent seat belt use and the practice of gradually
increasing driver privileges over time as a young driver gains
more experience under supervised conditions; and
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WHEREAS, Nationally in 2013, 641 crash fatalities involving a
teen driver occurred in the fall months of September, October
and November as teenagers in the first months of the school year
were faced with many decisions involving driving, including
whether to drive with peer passengers and other distractions;
and
WHEREAS, Recognizing the third week of October as "National
Teen Driver Safety Week" is expected to increase awareness of
these important issues among teenagers and the adults who care
about them in this Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Avoiding impaired driving helps teens avoid becoming
a statistic; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
week of October 15 through 21, 2017, as "National Teen Driver
Safety Week" in Pennsylvania; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives:
(1) support the goals and ideals of "National Teen
Driver Safety Week," specifically to promote the theme of "U
Drive. U Text. U Pay"; and
(2) help teens take action as a passenger, as a friend
and as a driver to avoid impaired driving, including alcohol
and drug use, as well as distraction, fatigue and strong
emotions.
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