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Need for Control: Downshift

A Good Idea

Description

Need for Control: Down Shift is a peer-led project in 12 Sonoma County High Schools created to reduce morbidity and mortality from driving accidents among teens. Car crashes are the number 1 killer of teens in Sonoma County.

The project holds quarterly rallies or assemblies at each high school to promote driving safety. Students learn how to minimize distractions while they are driving and how to comply with the California Provisional Driver License Law that restricts teens aged 16-18 from driving with peers and from driving after 11 p.m. All attendants turning 16 receive a safe driving kit. The kit includes many tools and resources to help teens drive safely.

Goal / Mission

To prevent death and injury from car crashes among teens by reducing driving speed and driver distractions.

Results / Accomplishments

A formal evaluation of Project Downshift has not been conducted.

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
Provisional License Action Network (PLAN)
Primary Contact
Sonoma County Department of Health Services’ Prevention and Planning Division
(707) 565-6680
Topics
Health / Prevention & Safety
Organization(s)
Provisional License Action Network (PLAN)
Location
Sonoma
For more details
http://www.teensanddriving.org/
Target Audience
Teens

Related Promising Practices

  1. Tribal Motor Vehicle Injury Prevention Programs
  2. Safety Stop: Child Passenger Safety Education
  3. CDC COMMUNITY GUIDE: Use of Child Safety Seats: Community-Wide Information and Enhanced Enforcement Campaigns

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A Good Idea meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program funding source, program implementation steps and outcomes.
  2. The program evaluation is limited to descriptive measure(s) of success/accomplishment (i.e., program participation rates, number of services/education sessions/radio messages provided). Note: oftentimes, the program has been newly implemented and a program evaluation has not yet been conducted. Programs that have not yet been evaluated, but which show promise in improving health or quality of life, are classified as Good Ideas until an evaluation is conducted.