Traffic Safety Training Program

In 1994, although representing only nine percent of the total driving population, Iowa's youngest drivers accounted for 16 percent of the state's alcohol-related fatal crashes. There was a perception that local community youth and adults often did not understand the complexity and significance of the problem. In addition, they seemed to lack the needed technical expertise and leadership skills to effect change.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The goal of the program is to reduce the number of alcohol-related traffic incidents among Iowa's youth. Community and school-based teams of youths and adults will:

• Create and maintain diverse teams in which leadership skills will be developed
• Draft and implement strategies to address alcohol and other traffic safety issues
• Establish ongoing communication and networking between schools and the community.

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES

Program Development: Annual statewide focus groups from diverse backgrounds teach program design and implementation. Teams are selected on a first-come, first-served basis, and scholarships are provided for students needing financial assistance. Twenty-five percent of the attendees and 50 percent of the staff are ethnic minorities. For many attendees, this is their first experience on a college campus, with leadership training and with significant exposure to traffic safety issues.

Program Structure: Teens interact with and support one another. Adult participants, including peace officers, civic leaders, parents, school personnel, and after-school and neighborhood program leaders support the teen action plans. A published newspaper and other materials encourage post-event interaction and mutual support.

Program Activities: The "Get A Grip" program has evolved over the past five years from a "canned" overnight traffic safety event to a 2 day training workshop that includes:

• Panel discussions of youths and adults who have worked together on traffic safety issues
• Small breakout sessions for teens from different areas of the state and different life experiences to discuss solutions to challenging alcohol and safety issues
• Interactive keynote speakers and leadership and team building activities
• Resource sharing involving Iowa's Department of Public Health, Department of Education, Substance Abuse Information Center, Attorney General's Office, the Governor's Alliance on Substance Abuse, and local law enforcement agencies
• Workshops for adult attendees on topics such as how to support youth as leaders
• Resource manuals containing camera-ready handouts and step-by-step activities.

RESULTS

In the past five years, 147 teams representing all regions of the state have been trained. Approximately 80 percent of the teams implement some portion of their action plan. This plan may include providing training and mentoring to junior high and elementary school students, conducting follow-up training for their schools, bringing in knowledgeable speakers, or establishing school youth/alcohol traffic safety committees. Six-month evaluations of both adult and youth reveal a new positive focus of teen energy, proactive leadership, creative problem solving and networking, as teens across the state are trying to address alcohol and traffic safety issues.