October 20 to 26 is National Teen Driver Safety Week. This year's theme is "It Takes Two: Shared Expectations for Teens and Parents for Driving." Teens and parents should work together for a new driver to become a safe skilled driver. This is exactly the goal of the Sheriff's Start Smart program, a free two‐hour class for new drivers and their parents/guardians so they clearly understand their responsibilities when a teen starts to drive. During the class, deputies discuss the conditions of a provisional license and Social Host rules in the county. Parents and students see graphic videos to learn the dangers of drunk and distracted driving. They also hear sobering stories from families about the loss of their loved ones. A wrecked SUV from a deadly DUI crash is also on display during the class. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in America. We all can help improve teen driver safety. Take part in the Start Smart program. For a list of classes near you, visit http://goo.gl/1Mbx7. To learn more about Social Host rules in the county, visit www.sdsheriff.net/social‐host.
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