By Kim Minugh
kminugh@sacbee.com
This week is Teen Driving Safety Week in California, and officials are seizing on the opportunity to remind young drivers of the dangers of being distracted on the road.
Statistics offered up by the non-profit organization Impact Teen Drivers are sobering: Reckless and distracted driving is the leading cause of death for teens in the United States, claiming 3,500 teen lives in 2009.
Another alarming stat: More than two-thirds of fatal teen crashes can be attributed to distracted driving and not the usual suspects, drugs and alcohol.
Talking on a cell phone, texting, speeding and playing with the radio are among the many causes of reckless and distracted driving cited by officials.
"This dangerous and potentially deadly behavior needs to stop," California Highway Patrol Commissioner Joe Farrow was quoted as saying in a news release. "Bottom line, distractions behind the wheel can destroy lives."
The CHP and Impact Teen Drivers are among those driving the message this week about teen safety behind the wheel. The latter organization works with schools and parents to educate young drivers about the dangers.
For more information, visit www.impactteendrivers.org and http://www.whatdoyouconsiderlethal.com.
Call The Bee's Kim Minugh, (916) 321-1038.
KCRA: Teens learn the dangers of distracted driving









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