Why Are The Youth of Virginia Speaking Out About Traffic Safety?
Motor vehicle crashes continue
to be the number one killer of young people today. In the year 2000, motor
vehicle injuries and fatalities among youth ages 16-20 increased dramatically.
In Virginia between January 1 and December 31, 2000, 48 individuals in the
16 and 17 year-old age group died on Virginia’s roads. More dramatically,
during the same time period, 109 individuals between the ages of 18 and 20
died on Virginia’s roads – a tragic increase of 73% compared with
the same time period in 1999.
Blame for these crashes can no longer be placed solely on alcohol and drugs.
A number of other factors have been identified to be common occurrences among
youth driver crashes including:
- Speed
- Run-off-the-road
- Lack of seatbelt use
- Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
About Our Program
Youth of Virginia Speak Out
(YOVASO) About Traffic Safety is a program developed to educate and empower
youth to speak out and make a difference in their schools and communities,
as well as create positive awareness about the dangers youth face behind the
wheel of a motor vehicle.
The program consists of a number of traffic safety summits, also known as
training sessions, throughout the State of Virginia. During these one-day
training sessions, teams of four students from high schools and colleges in
different regions are brought together. Trainings consist of education and
creative sessions developed to empower young people to create awareness programs
catered to meet the needs of their own schools. Issues that are encouraged
to focus on include speed, safety belts, driver inattention, and driving while
under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
After training is complete, students return to their schools motivated and
prepared with an action plan for implementing the program they created!
Youth Of Virginia Speak Out About Traffic Safety
Program Mission and Goals
YOVASO Program Mission:
The mission of YOVASO is to educate an organized group of young people about
traffic safety issues, empower them to take ownership of traffic safety related
problems, as well as encourage them to take an active role in developing positive
solutions for the common issues pertaining to traffic related crashes, injuries
and fatalities among young drivers through problem identification, program
development, and program coordination.
YOVASO Program Goals:
- To decrease the number of fatalities among teens
because of motor vehicle crashes.
- To decrease the number of injuries among teens because
of motor vehicle crashes.
- To provide a network allowing school based clubs
and organizations to share ideas, resources
and successful programs.
- To provide training to educate youth with the skills
necessary to effect legislation, identify community
problems, and to raise funds and utilize community resources.
- To educate youth about the responsibilities of operating
a motor vehicle, and how to positively influence
behavioral and attitude changes.
- To provide an avenue for youth to become involved
in problem identification with traffic safety
related issues.
- To provide training at a local, state, and national
level to develop programs that positively impact the problem.
- To provide program coordination on a local, state,
and national level to establish a network of individual school groups into
a system where they can share ideas, strengths, and weaknesses of programs.
- To provide opportunities for youth to work with
adults on traffic safety issues they have not previously been involved
in.
Regional, Statewide and National Efforts For Youth Safety
-Virginia
is not alone in its efforts to direct attention towards young driver issues.
On a national level, the National Highway
Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA www.nhtsa.gov)
has directed a great deal of its resources to the
-National Organizations for Youth Safety or NOYS (www.noys.org).
NOYS is a coalition of over 40 National youth serving organizations working
together to provide help and resources for youth to improve health and safety
issues in their schools and communities. NOYS is an exciting resource
providing young people with the tools necessary to identify problems
they face and create possible solutions to their problems.
- On a local level, Youth of Virginia Speak Out (YOVASO)
was created by a group of young people with leadership provided by Ferrum
College and the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles to address the issues
that is the number one killer of teens today: traffic crashes.
- On a statewide level, a number of youth initiatives
are taking place in Virginia. Every year, the Annual Conference on Transportation
Safety (ACTS) is held. In 2002, the first ever youth track was included in
the ACCTS Conference. For the first time in the history of ACTS, young people
were invited to participate in the conference as well as present their own
successful programs to their peers as well as other traffic safety advocates
throughout the State.
After the Training… Continued Program
Support & Recognition
After young people have completed the training session and return to their
schools, a number of items are in place to provide continued support for youth
programs. Opportunities to apply for mini-grant funding, as well as additional
community resource guides will be made available.
- A regional youth newsletter focusing on YOVASO activities
in various schools is distributed for ideas and programs to be shared and
highlighted.
-Additionally, the YOVASO website (www.ferrum.edu/yovaso)
serves as a tremendous resource for networking, sharing ideas and discussion
about YOVASO projects.
Participation Information
All schools are highly encouraged to participate in this beneficial,
rewarding, and lifesaving program. Teams of four students from each school
are recruited to participate in training sessions.
Participating teams should consist of highly motivated, contributing individuals
who are representative of your school. Additionally, three underclassmen and
one senior are recommended to participate.
For registration information
or to coordinate a training summit in your area,
please fax or email inquiries to (540) 561-7405 or jbland@ferrum.edu or visit
www.ferrum.edu/yovaso for more information.
For More Information Contact:
Jessica L. Bland, MS
YOVASO Program Manager
Traffic Safety Youth Coordinator
Ferrum College
Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
5010 Airport Road
Roanoke, VA 24012
Phone: 540.561.7468
Fax: 540.561.7405
jbland@ferrum.edu
YOVASO About Traffic Safety !
Speaking Out & Saving Lives!