Teen Driving Course To Be Offered in Powder Springs

From a Powder Springs Police Department news release

Changes in the TADRA Law for teen drivers put parents squarely in the passenger’s seat. It requires that anyone who applies for a permanent driver’s license have a parent, legal guardian or responsible adult sign a verification form affirming that the candidate has completed 40 hours (with six hours at night) of supervised driving experience, if the candidate has successfully completed an approved driver education course.

Most parents don’t feel prepared, or may not know what they need to do, to supervise a new teen driver behind the wheel. But parental involvement is key to reducing teen crashes and fatalities.

Teens want the practice time so they can get their license, but need to know how to communicate with their nervous parents.

There is a free course designed to fill this void. The Georgia Traffic Injury Prevention Institute (GTIPI) at The University of Georgia is bringing P.R.I.D.E.—Parents Reducing Injuries and Driver Error—to help Cobb County parents prepare their 14-, 15- and 16-year-olds to drive.

“P.R.I.D.E. is an excellent orientation to the driver education process and teen driving laws. It’s designed to help young people become better decision makers, especially as new drivers,” says Frankie Jones, GTIPI’s Director. “It will help parents and their new teen drivers learn what they need to do during those 40 hours of driving time. Our ultimate goal is to reduce risk-taking behavior and youth related car crashes.”

GTIPI is working with Sgt J. Matthews of the Powder Springs Police Department to offer the free, 2-hour P.R.I.D.E. seminar, a standardized UGA course offered statewide. GTIPI is funded by a grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.

“Cobb County is a metro Atlanta area, which offers unique driving situations and problems for first-time drivers,” Matthews said.

The Georgia Teens Ride with P.R.I.D.E. classes will complement the Cobb County driver education program and will:

• Help parents and guardians become more aware of their own driving behaviors
• Teach parents and guardians how to help their teens become safe drivers
• Help parents, guardians and teens learn what they need to do during the supervised practice driving time
• Alter attitudes and driving behaviors of novice teen drivers

The course will be offered April 15 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Powder Springs Police Department, 1114 Richard D. Sailors Parkway, Powder Springs.

A teen and at least one parent or guardian must register to attend. You can obtain a registration form at the police department, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or you can download in PDF format at http://www.cityofpowdersprings.org/DocumentCenter/View/2199.

Completed registration forms can be emailed to Sgt. Jody Matthews at jjmatthews@cityofpowdersprings.org, or turned in at the police department front desk.