May through August most dangerous months for Virginia teen drivers

Youth of Virginia Speak Out (YOVASO) and the Virginia State Police are encouraging high and middle schools across the state to participate in a safety campaign for youth and teens to encourage safe driving behaviors and passenger safety. The campaign, called “Arrive Alive,” focuses on the increased risk these age groups face during the spring and summer months and during prom and graduation season. The campaign is set to kick off on Monday, March 20 and runs through May 5.

Middle schools will focus their campaign efforts on how to be a safe passenger, pedestrian, and cyclist. High schools will focus on preventing such risky driving and passenger behaviors as driving distracted, speeding, driving with too many passengers, not wearing a seat belt, drowsy driving, underage drinking and driving and joy riding or “cruising.”

Schools interested in participating in this exciting campaign, should contact Casey Taylor, Program Development Coordinator at (540)-375-3596 or visit yovaso.org. Registering is quick and simple, and will provide schools with free resources to promote safe driving, passenger safety and traffic safety. The materials for middle schools will include: posters, tip cards, pledge banners, pencils, and sunglasses to promote passenger, pedestrian, and bike safety. High schools that register will receive: tip cards, prom/floral Arrive Alive cards, “What to do After a Crash” cards, posters, pledge banners, Text Later Live Longer Stickers, and sunglasses to promote safe driving and celebrating responsibly.

Arrive Alive is sponsored by Youth of Virginia Speak Out About Traffic Safety (YOVASO) and the Virginia State Police, and is funded by a grant from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Highway Safety Office. Other partners include Allstate, State Farm, the Mid-Atlantic Foundation for Safety and Education, a nonprofit charitable organization affiliated with AAA Mid-Atlantic, and WFXR Television.

YOVASO is Virginia’s Peer-to-Peer Education and Prevention Program for Teen Driver Safety and is a program of the Virginia State Police. Membership in YOVASO is free and open to all Virginia high schools and middle schools. Schools do not have to be a member of YOVASO to participate in the Arrive Alive campaign.

-Submitted by Kasey Taylor