Checkpoints Program: Targeting Teen Driver Safety
Law enforcement officers respond to motor vehicle crash scenes involving teen drivers on a routine basis.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, teens between the ages of 16 and 19 are three times as likely to be involved in a fatal crash as drivers who are older than 20.
CDC statistics show that in 2020, about 2,800 teens in the United States aged 13–19 were killed, and about 227,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes.
To ensure safety on the roadways and further educate teen drivers, several Kentucky law enforcement agencies are conducting educational outreach programs for teens and their parents. One such agency is the Nicholasville Police Department (NPD), which has adopted the Checkpoints Program.
The Checkpoints Program brings teen drivers and their parents together to agree on driving rules and consequences for non-compliance.
“We’ve been doing the Checkpoints Program for a couple years,” Nicholasville Assistant Police Chief Michael Fleming said. “We taught between 12 and 15 checkpoints classes before (the start of the COVID pandemic), and we’re picking it back up.”
NPD partners with the Jessamine County Health Department and advertises the program in the school system and on social media. Those wishing to participate in the program can sign up on the Jessamine County Health Department website.
“The parent and child take a pre-quiz that asks them about the highest risks while driving and gauges their knowledge,” Fleming said. “During the course, part of it is PowerPoint with videos that discuss the program and the (potential) dangers of driving. The last part of the program is hands-on, helping the student come up with their contract or checkpoints. The parent and child sign it, and it establishes the rules for the teen’s driving for the duration of the teen’s intermediate driver’s license.”
NPD has officers who have completed Checkpoints Instructor training teach the hour-long course in its department’s community room and have seen more driving safety awareness from both the teen driver and their parent or guardian.
“We have some of our collision reconstruction members who are part of the course, and they can give the math that says if you’re driving 55 mph, you’re traveling the length of a football field within two seconds,” Fleming said. “I think teens visibly are able to see that and understand why that is risky behavior. I think the kids think about that when they drive. I also think the parents are considering it when setting up this Checkpoints contract with their kids.”
According to the CDC, many factors put teen drivers at risk. Those include:
Inexperience – teens are more likely to underestimate or not be able to recognize dangerous situations, which can lead to critical errors.
Nighttime and weekend driving – nighttime driving is riskier for all ages, but especially for teens. Fatal crash rates at night among teen drivers (16-19 years of age) are about three times that of adult drivers. Forty-four percent of teen motor vehicle deaths occurred between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., and 50% occurred on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday in 2020.
Not using seat belts – 56% of teens killed in vehicle crashes in 2020 were not wearing a seat belt.
Distracted Driving – in 2019, among U.S. high school students who drove, 39% texted or e-mailed while driving at least once during the prior 30 days.
Speeding – teens are more likely than older drivers to speed and to allow shorter distances from the front of one vehicle to the front of the next. Thirty-five percent of male drivers and 18% of female drivers (ages 15–20 years) involved in fatal crashes were speeding at the time of the crash in 2020.
Alcohol use – Teen drivers have a much higher risk of being involved in a crash than older drivers at the same blood alcohol concentration (BAC), even at BAC levels below the legal limit for adults.
Fleming said that providing the Checkpoints Program to teen drivers in Jessamine County was a no-brainer for NPD and its officers.
“It was an easy sell to our officers,” he said. “We have a department that loves to invest in the safety of children. Anything we can do that prevents us from having to go to a scene where kids are injured, we’re going to do it. It’s another program where parents and teens can interact with officers that is not enforcement related. It builds community relationships, and that’s what we’re here for.”
Approximately 150 Jessamine County teenagers have participated in the program since NPD began offering the Checkpoints Program in 2018.
As an incentive to take the course, the school system offers parking permits at a discounted rate to entice teens. Additionally, Fleming said the local State Farm Insurance agencies provide gas gift cards to those who complete the course.
