July 22, 2024, Press Release from the Ohio State Highway Patrol: (COLUMBUS, Ohio) – The Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) and the Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO) are partnering at a free event where teen drivers can practice crash avoidance techniques and gain the experience necessary to become safer drivers. OTSO’s Advanced Driver Training Summer Series allows students to practice skid recovery, anti-lock braking system (ABS) exercises and other skills with a licensed instructor on a closed course. These specially designed classes address the leading causes of teen crashes in Ohio which include failure to control, failure to yield, and unsafe speed.
Instructors from Ohio-based DriveTeam will provide the training at Lima Senior High School on Aug. 7 and 8. Newly licensed drivers or teens with a valid temporary permit are welcome to participate in one of these free sessions. OSHP will be there to provide a presentation on the importance of safe driving at the beginning of each session.
The summer series is being conducted during the “100 deadliest days” – the time period between Memorial Day and Labor Day that historically accounts for more than a third of all fatal crashes.
- In 2023, there were 102 fatal youth-related crashes in Ohio during the “100 deadliest days” – about one fatality each day.
- In Allen County last year, drivers under age 24 were involved in 35% of all crashes.
- There were 997 youth-related crashes in Allen County alone in 2023 – that’s an average of nearly 3 crashes almost every day.
Spots are still available for students at two 4-hour sessions on both Aug. 7 and 8. Students only need to register for one session. The link to register is on the summer series calendar on OTSO’s Advanced Driver Training resource web page.
It’s important to note that this free training opportunity is separate from the required training that teens must complete in order to get their driver’s license – which is 24 hours of classroom instruction, and 8 hours of behind the wheel training with a licensed instructor.
