New Driver Education Requirements

As your curriculum provider, Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) is always striving to remain aware of the latest developments in the industry—and to keep you updated on those trends as well. Today, we write regarding changes to the law that were recently passed by the Florida Legislature (SB 994, 2025) and that take effect on July 1, 2025.

Under the provisions of these pending changes, the Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education (TLSAE) course is now required only for driver license applicants who are 18 years of age and older and who have never been licensed in another jurisdiction. A new course, the Driver Education Traffic Safety (DETS) course is required for learner's driver license applicants who are under the age of 18 years.

The upshot of this is that a TLSAE course completed on July 1 or later will no longer fulfill the education requirements for a learner's driver license for prospective drivers ages 15 – 17. And, unfortunately, there does not currently exist a DETS course that is approved by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV).

TSC has been in contact with FLHSMV and is working furiously to develop a course that meets the requirements of the new curriculum and will be able to pass FLHSMV review. Hopefully we will have one of—if not the—first such course in the state of Florida. Nonetheless, this is an entirely new program that will need to go through the FLHSMV assessment process.

In the meantime, you can, for the next few weeks, continue to offer the TLSAE course to younger license candidates. However, we recommend that you ensure that only older students are registered for any TLSAE classes you conduct after June 2025. As things currently stand, TLSAE completions on July 1 or later will no longer satisfy the education requirements for applicants for a learner's driver license who are under the age of 18.

TSC is working to update the text and functionality of all of its managed websites to reflect this new information. If you manage your own website, you will be responsible for presenting the new information to your students.

We are continuing to work through the details of this sudden development with FLHSMV and will, of course, keep you informed of any updates to the situation. If you have any questions, you may contact the Driver Education, Process Improvement, and Accountability Office at 850 . 617 . 2598 or email Driver-Education@flhsmv.gov. Donna in our Florida office (800 . 252 . 9951 or email donna@trafficeducation.net) will also be available to help as best we can.

New Florida Laws for Late 2024

Curriculum Updates

As your traffic safety education curriculum provider, Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc. (TSC) is always committed to providing the finest and most up-to-date instructional materials available.

Earlier this year, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) issued a notice of required curriculum updates (the "CY2024 Update Letter to Providers"). Most of these had been added proactively prior to notification from DHSMV. We were required, though, to resubmit all curricula for reapproval. Official approval has been issued and materials have been translated, as necessary, and are now ready for use.

Changes, as appropriate for the type of course, include:

• Latest Driving-Without-a-License Laws
• License Required for Under 18 to Operate a Golf Cart on Roads
• Enforcement of School Zone Speed Limits
• Enforcement of School But Passing Infractions
• Latest "'Move Over' Act" Information
• Latest Racing and Exhibition Driving Laws
• Serious Bodily Injury/Death to Vulnerable Road Users Penalties

Internet Curricula Updated

TSC has already updated all internet-based programs, and your students are using them now. No further action is required for this modality.

Classroom Curricula

Those of you who are delivering classroom instruction must ensure that you teach students the updated curriculum. You can access all of the latest curriculum materials for download via the Classroom Materials page on your affiliate administrative Web portal (login required). The files are available now, and you should begin using the updated materials immediately.

Please make sure that you and/or any instructors you employ are explaining the new laws to students and distributing the latest versions of the classroom materials, as you will be responsible for teaching/testing students on this new material!

Booklet Curriculum

Those of you who are delivering 4-Hour BDI booklet instruction must ensure that you provide students the updated curriculum. You can access all of the latest curriculum materials for download via the Classroom Materials page on your affiliate administrative Web portal (login required). The files are available now, and you should begin using the updated materials immediately.

Please make sure that you mail students materials that explain the new laws to students, as you will be responsible for teaching/testing students on this new material!

Florida Curriculum Update for 2019

Recognizing that texting behind the wheel presents a serious safety hazard, Florida has enhanced its texting-while-driving ban, effective July 1, 2019.

In order to ensure that traffic safety students are getting the latest and most accurate information—and staying safe behind the wheel—Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., has updated its Internet-based programs to account for this change. Further, inserts for the booklet and video/DVD modalities are provided via links below; please include a copy of this insert sheet with each product that you ship, in addition to any other applicable inserts. Classroom instructors, meanwhile, should familiarize themselves with the new law and include this revised material when presenting similar information during class. (Flipcharts/slide presentations, workbooks, and all testing materials remain unchanged.)

The Details of the New Law

Florida's texting-while-driving ban is as follows:

It is against the law to operate a motor vehicle while manually typing or entering multiple letters, numbers, symbols, or other characters into a wireless communications device, or while sending or reading non-voice communications (text, email, instant message, etc.). Further, a person may never use any wireless communications device in a handheld manner while operating a motor vehicle in a designated school crossing, school zone, or work zone area. These prohibitions do not apply to communications with law enforcement/emergency services or to emergency/weather/traffic alerts, or to a device used for vehicle operation, navigation, or radio broadcasts. This is a primary enforcement infraction, and conviction for a first offense is a non-moving traffic violation with base fine of $30 (plus local fees). A second conviction within five years is treated as a moving violation with base fine of $60 (plus local fees) and three points on the license.
(Florida Statues 316.305, 316.306)

(Note: Effective July 1, 2019, enforcement of the existing texting-while-driving ban is changed from a secondary offense to a primary offense; effective October 1, 2019, drivers are prohibited from using a handheld wireless communications device while driving in a designated school crossing, school zone, or work zone area. From October 1 to December 31, 2019, law enforcement officers may provide a verbal or written warning and beginning January 1, 2019, may issue a uniform traffic citation for a violation.)

Curriculum Materials

Please click on the links below to access the files you need. You may read/print them online or download them to you local computer for easy access whenever you need them.

• BDI insert - English
• BDI insert - Spanish
• Classroom Lesson Plan materials
• TLSAE: Incorporate this new material under the section "Dangerous Distractions" in "Chapter 5: Florida Traffic Laws" (under the header "Inside-the-Vehicle Distractions").
• BDI: Incorporate this new material at the end of the section "Distracted Drivers Have a Bad Attitude" in "Unit 4: Driver Psychology" (under the header "Cell Phones: Dial 'C' for Collision!").
• ADI: Incorporate this new material in the section "Distractions, Distractions" in Unit 4.

Remember that these revisions are applicable to all modalities of these programs.

Please make sure that you ship the latest home study inserts and discuss this material in class, as you will be responsible for teaching this new material to students!

100 Deadlist Days for Teen Drivers

Ah, summer! Temperatures rise, schools let out for the season, and motorists hit the highways for vacation road trips. Students might view it as the optimum time to fulfill their driver training requirements. And teen drivers look to exercise their freedom and newfound driving privileges by taking to the streets. But the extra traffic and inexperienced drivers can prove tragic.

A recent study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that there are an average of 10 fatalities due to injuries from a crash involving a teen driver every day between Memorial Day and Labor Day each year. Worse still, the study notes that 60% of teen crashes involve driver distraction—and were, therefore, likely to have been easily preventable!

Make sure that you're reinforcing the following points to your students:

• All vehicle occupants should always wear their safety belt. It's required by law in most places. But even in jurisdictions where the seat belt laws are a little more lax, it's still a good great idea! Safety belts are quick and easy to use, and they are the single most effective way to save lives and reduce the severity of injuries in motor vehicle crashes. Statistically, wearing safety belts doubles the chances of surviving a crash and more than doubles the chances of avoiding serious injury.
• Don't be tempted by distractions. A study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that drivers who text message while driving are 23 times more likely to get into a collision or a near-collision than undistracted drivers. And research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that even hands-free technology is anything but risk-free. Furthermore, many states now prohibit any mobile device use by young drivers. Of course, those are just the tech-related distractions; there are plenty of other things to divert drivers' awareness. Some activities require our full attention—and driving is one of those activities.
• Keep your speed under control. Driving at speeds in excess of posted limits accounts for most traffic citations. And, aside from driving while impaired by alcohol or other drugs, about the most reckless thing a driver can do is drive too fast for the existing conditions. Speeding nearly triples the likelihood that a driver will be involved in a crash or near-crash. It reduces a driver's ability to steer safely around curves or obstructions in the roadway, extends stopping distances, and increases the distance traveled while the driver reacts to a dangerous situation. Worse yet, when speeding is a contributing factor in a collision, the bodily harm and property damage is frequently more extreme than average. Always obey all posted speed limits and be mindful of the Basic Speed Law, which states that a vehicle may never be driven faster than is safe for the prevailing conditions.
• Don't be reckless behind the wheel. When you're out of control, you're…well, out of control. And it's always good to be in control when you're behind the wheel. Whether you're trying to show off for your friends or just enjoy the "rush" of driving at the edge of your vehicle's performance envelope, driving recklessly is extremely dangerous!
• Never drink (or use other drugs) and drive. Perhaps the most dangerous—and most irresponsible—thing you could ever do as a motorist is to drive under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. Roughly 10,000 lives are lost in alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes each year in the United States—about a third of all traffic fatalities annually. Moreover, it's against the law for teens to consume alcohol, whether they're driving or not. Most states have some sort of Zero Tolerance law, and these regulations are strictly enforced. Unless you want your driver license to be short-lived, stay sober and safe behind the wheel!

By following these simple tips, we can help to prevent senseless crash-related deaths during the 100 Deadliest Days, as well as the rest of the year!

Surviving 10 Driving Emergencies

"Normal," everyday driving can be challenging enough. But when it comes right down to it, obtaining a license to drive is often all too easy. Motorists are not usually well-trained—and not commonly required by licensing authorities to demonstrate—how to handle road emergencies and other extreme driving situations. The first time that many drivers are asked to employ accident-avoidance skills, lives may be on the line. And without the proper knowledge and practice, the odds of successfully executing an extreme maneuver are not in their favor.

Edmunds.com presents a extremely helpful article that describes how to handle and survive ten common driving emergencies. While these tips are covered in the driving safety courses that you present, here's another look at some situations many motorists are likely to face over the course of their driving careers. Take a look to make sure you're providing your students with the correct information. And share with your customers via social media if you're marketing to them that way (and you should be!!!).

As importantly, encourage your students to get some advanced driving training and/or to practice these maneuvers in a safe environment so they'll know how to respond—and do so reflexively—should the need arise. Their lives and the lives of their passengers may depend on it!

Driver Permit Test Online Retest Fees

As your curriculum provider, Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) is writing with an update regarding the Class E online driver license knowledge examination ("Driver Permit Test Online") service.

At the end of January of this year, TSC was required to begin using the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles' (DHSMV) approved vendor, Solutions Thru Software (STS), as a provisioner of test items for this service. Despite using an outside vendor, DHSMV has inexplicably continued to impose a $10 retesting fee per student per attempt. TSC is forced to pass this cost along to your students, and we are writing to notify you that, effective April 30, 2015, prices charged to students for Driver Permit Test Online retests will reflect this additional cost.

While we regret that this change is necessary, it is in direct response to a DHSMV policy that impacts all providers of the Class E online driver license knowledge examination and is unavoidable.

We thank you for your lasting partnership with TSC, and wish you all the best!

Rearview Camera Systems Soon to Be Mandatory

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will soon require all new vehicles to come equipped with back-up camera systems, or rearview monitors, that meet certain specifications. (According to the rule, 10% of automakers' new vehicles must have the equipment by May 1, 2016; 40% by May 1, 2017; and all models by May 1, 2018.) The NHTSA estimates that such rear visibility technology will significantly reduce an estimated 210 fatalities and 15,000 injuries—roughly a third of which involved children under the age of five—that result from back-over impacts each year

Research has demonstrated that factory-installed and aftermarket camera systems, across a variety of vehicles and manufacturers, increases driver visibility into the rear blind zone. However, cameras do not necessarily show a vehicle's entire surroundings. Remind your students that, even when a vehicle is equipped with such systems, they should employ the following safety tips:

• Walk around the vehicle before getting in. Nothing beats a quick, direct visual inspection of the area surrounding your vehicle when it comes to detecting obstacles you might want to avoid.
• Use camera systems in addition to mirrors and direct observation when backing. Camera systems are a helpful supplement to mirrors and, of course, to directly observing the backing path by turning and looking over the shoulder. Don't rely on them exclusively.
• Clean the camera lens for better visibility. Rain, snow, slush, dust, and other contaminants can cloud the camera lens and blur or distort images. By regularly cleaning the lens, you ensure the best possible picture from your rearview monitor.

Back-up camera systems are likely to enhance safety, but they are not a cure-all for backing hazards. Remind students of these safety tips to keep them (and their loved ones and possessions) safe.

Adult Involvement Can Lower Teen Driver Deaths

Driving Can Be Dangerous

Teen drivers are inexperienced behind the wheel, and they often make dangerous choices because they lack maturity and are prone to taking risks. It's no surprise, then, that traffic crashes are the leading killer of teens in the U.S.

Parents and Other Adults Can Help

Parents (or other adults) can have a significant impact on the safety habits of young drivers. That's the message behind the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) "5 to Drive" campaign intended to raise awareness about the critical role adults play in developing safe teen drivers.

The safety initiative encourages parents to:

• Learn about their state's graduated driver licensing (GDL) program, if there is one, and to understand—and enforce—the restrictions placed on their teen's license. Even in states that don't have an official program, parents can establish important ground rules for their teen driver: Restrict night driving and passengers, prohibit driving while on the phone, and require seat belt use at all times.
• Be a good role model. Parents must remember that their child sees how they drive and is likely to model their behavior. Therefore, it is imperative that parents practice safe-driving techniques themselves! (They might even take a defensive driving course to brush up on their skills.) Parents should also observe and discuss with their children these important "5 to Drive" safety rules:
1. No mobile phone use or texting while driving. Ten percent of those killed in teen-driving crashes in 2012 died when the teen driver was distracted at the time of the crash.
2. No extra passengers. NHTSA data show that a teenage driver is 2.5 times more likely to engage in risky behavior when driving with one teenage passenger, and three times more likely with multiple teenager passengers.
3. No speeding. In 2012, speeding was a factor in almost half (48%) of the crashes that killed 15- to 20-year-old drivers.
4. No alcohol. The minimum legal drinking age in every state is 21. However, 28% of 15- to 20-year-old drivers killed in crashes in 2012 had been drinking.
5. No driving or riding without a seat belt. In 2012, more than half (60%) of all 15- to 20-year-old occupants of passenger vehicles killed in crashes were unrestrained.

Driver Education is Important, But Just the Beginning

Parents should not rely solely on a driver education class to teach their teen to drive. While formal, professional driver education is important—and highly recommended—it should be used as just part of a broader GDL program. Parents are encouraged to communicate with their teen and set aside time to take their teen on practice driving sessions. It can be a great way to spend time together and to allow the teen to improve on basic driving skills.

Parents who are anxious about practicing driving with their teen could pick up a copy of the outstanding parent-teen driving guide, Teach Your Teen to Drive…and stay alive. This fantastic parent-teen guide provides life-saving tips and easy-to-follow, structured exercises to reduce the stress factors associated with the up to 60 hours of supervised driving practice that's required by all 50 states.

(If your stock of books is running low, or to get started with this excellent product, contact our Director of Affiliate Operations, Gloria Verver, for great affiliate pricing (via email or by calling 800 . 252 . 9488). Of course, you can always order via Amazon.com as well.)

Teen Drivers: Distracted and Dangerous

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), a non-profit organization representing state highway safety offices (and an excellent resource that's available here!), recently released a report detailing the dangers of teen distracted driving. The report, "Distracted & Dangerous: Helping States Keep Teens Focused on the Road," highlights promising programs and policies designed to help teen drivers recognize deadly distractions and to encourage young motorists to be fully engaged while behind the wheel.

The Danger

"Teens have the highest crash risk of any age group, and research confirms that distraction is often a factor," Jonathan Adkins, the group's executive director, said in a statement. Indeed, teens represented the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted at the time of a fatal crash, based on the 2012 data used in the report (the latest available), and 57% of those killed were the teen drivers themselves.

Unexpectedly, the research indicated that the youngest and most inexperienced motorists were actually among those least likely (with the exception of drivers 60 and older) to use a mobile phone while driving. "Many brand new teen drivers recognize passengers and portable electronics are distracting. But as they gain experience and become more confident in their driving skills, their attitudes about talking and texting while driving, as well as transporting passengers, changes," Adkins added.

Distraction caused by multiple passengers is also problematic for new drivers. The probability of a crash increases with each passenger riding with a young driver, as it's often tempting for teens to pay attention to their passengers than to the road.

Help is on the Way

Superior driver education programs and graduated driver licensing systems can help a great deal with such issues—as can strict, but fair, enforcement of reasonable, well-drafted traffic laws. Of particular note:

• New York will soon have the nation's toughest distracted-driving penalties. Beginning November 1, 2014, drivers under the age of 21 will face a 120-day license suspension for a first conviction and a 1-year suspension for a second. And state law is complemented with aggressive enforcement that includes utilizing unmarked, raised sport utility vehicles that allow officers to better spot drivers who are texting or engaging in other distracting behaviors.
• North Dakota invested federal distracted-driving grant funds to provide law enforcement training in advance of a statewide, high-visibility enforcement initiative and media campaign conducted during Distracted Driving Awareness Month (April). The state continues to support the effort with messages via Pandora, Hulu, and other social media platforms directed to young drivers.

The report noted that simulators, peer-to-peer campaigns, contests, phone apps, and grassroots advocacy were among the promising approaches to fighting teen distracted driving.

Potential distractions are everywhere, and no driver is immune to the hazards. Considering that distracted driving can lead to slower reactions times than even a blood alcohol content of 0.08% (the presumptive limit in all 50 states), we should all have an interest in doing whatever we can to keep teens—and all drivers—distraction-free behind the wheel.

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Remember that October 19 – 25 is
Teen Driver Safety Week!

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Now Available: TLSAE Online and Driver's Permit Online

A few posts back, we promised that Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) was developing several exciting new products. We're back now to introduce our two newest offerings: the Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education (TLSAE) Course Online and the Driver's Permit Test Online!

Exciting New Products

TLSAE Course Online

Drivers who have never held a regular driver's license in any state, country, or jurisdiction, must complete a TLSAE course before applying for a temporary driving permit (restricted driver's license) in the state of Florida. As well, drivers under the age of 21 who receive a notice of suspension for driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.02 to 0.05 must complete a TLSAE course in order to reinstate their driver license on a hardship basis.

TSC has offered affiliates its classroom-based TLSAE curriculum for a number of years, and affiliates have been able to purchase an Internet TLSAE course through us as well. But this development will transfer TSC's high-quality classroom to curriculum to an Internet-based format. Now you'll be able to offer the same great TSC TLSAE course that you're accustomed to teaching in the classroom via the Internet!

Driver's Permit Test Online

Unlicensed drivers under the age of 18 who have completed an online TLSAE course now have the option of taking their Driver's Permit Test via the Internet. Our students love the ease and convenience of completing their driver's permit test online! The flexibility and convenience of this option allows them to skip the congestion, long lines, and waiting at their local DHSMV office. Instead, they're able to relax and pass the test from the comfort of their own home.

Great Package Options

We've also combined these products (along with our Practice Permit Test) into some helpful, money-saving packages. By offering these great package options, you can sell yourself as a convenient, one-stop source of authoritative information for young drivers!

How to Get These Programs

We're rolling out these new products to you just as fast as we can! Justin, our Web designer, will be contacting you shortly to discuss the transition to these new products.

The advantage to this change—aside from superior products for your students—is that you'll get your money right away! TSC subtracts the "seal" costs from each transaction, but all other money goes directly into your business account at the time of sale. You no longer have to wait for a check for payment from TSC for these products.

New Year, Hot Product

We at Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., would like to remind you about our great new product, Teach Your Teen to Drive…and stay alive. This parent-teen driving guidebook covers the supervised driving requirements in all 50 states (for up to 60 hours of behind-the-wheel practice). It's the perfect teaching tool for parents, and helps to eliminate the stress and anxiety associated with training a new teen driver. And it makes a great gift idea for family members and friends who have teenagers. This is a highly recommended product—especially for all driver training schools and traffic schools that offer classes to first-time drivers.

We have sold hundred of copies of Teach Your Teen since the product was introduced in the middle of last year, and the book has been ranked as high as #2 for its category on Amazon.com (click here to preview the book on Amazon)!

We have pricing with quantities of 10 books for as little as $6 per book (plus a shipping charge of $5), and you can resell them to your students for $15 – $20. Simply add a link for this great product to your website and sell a library's worth. (Remember: By DMV regulation, California affiliates cannot sell any other product prior to presenting the TVS course on their websites.) It also makes a perfect complement to a driver education program; you could offer the book to parents after their child's second driving lesson.

If you're interested in offering Teach Your Teen to Drive…and stay alive to your students, or via a link on your website, please contact our Director of Affiliate Operations, Gloria Verver, (via email or by calling 800 . 252 . 9488)!

National Teen Driver Safety Week October 14 – 20

Now's the time to prepare for National Teen Driver Safety Week, which runs from October 14 – 20, 2012! Promoting safe driving practices for teens is an important mission for providers of traffic safety education. Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in America, and, mile for mile, teenagers are involved in three times as many fatal crashes as all other drivers. Moreover, it is during these formative years that young drivers learn techniques that are likely to stick with them; safe driving habits that are developed early on will serve drivers well for the rest of their lives.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers parents, educators, and teens themselves a wealth of useful resources related to this event. Research shows that inexperience and immaturity combined with excessive speed, not wearing seat belts, distracted driving (mobile phone use, loud music, teen passengers, etc.), driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, and drowsy driving are prime contributors to teen-related crashes. Fortunately, these are behaviors that can be modified through awareness and education.

Another great educational tool for teen drivers is Teach Your Teen to Drive…and stay alive. This parent-teen driving guidebook covers the supervised driving requirements for licensing in all 50 states (for up to 60 hours of behind-the-wheel practice), and studies suggest that parent-teen driving practice can significantly reduce the chances of a young driver being involved in a crash. It's the perfect teaching tool for parents, and helps to eliminate the stress and anxiety associated with training a new teen driver. If someone doesn't need it for their own child, it makes a great gift idea for family members and friends who have teenagers.

Take some time to review this helpful information, and let's all make a difference this National Teen Driver Safety Week!

New Florida Laws for 2012

The latest legislative session produced changes to a number of driving-related laws. The good news is that the vast majority of these changes were administrative edits and will minimally impact how driver education and driver improvement courses are presented to the public.

Nonetheless, revised insert sheets are available for the booklet and video/DVD version of Traffic Safety Consultants' 4-Hour Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) Course. Please include a copy of the appropriate insert sheet with each product that you ship. Note that the insert sheets are cumulative; if you've previously been shipping insert sheets, you may replace your old stock with this new version.

Please click on the links below to access the files you need. You may read/print them online or download them to you local computer for easier access whenever you need them.

• 4-Hour Booklet insert - English
• 4-Hour Booklet insert - Spanish
• 4-Hour Video/DVD insert

Make sure that you ship the latest home study inserts, as you will be responsible for teaching this new material to students!

With seasonal temperatures nearing their peak, now is also a good time to emphasize one of the legislative changes. The law regarding parents who leave young children unattended in the vehicle has been modified as follows:

A parent, legal guardian, or other person responsible for a child younger than 6 years of age may not leave that child unattended or unsupervised in a motor vehicle for a period in excess of 15 minutes, or for any period of time if the motor of the vehicle is running or if the health of the child is in danger or the child appears to be in distress. (FSS §316.6135; emphasized text added)

Children (or pets, for that matter!) should never be left in a vehicle on a hot day—whether accidentally, or consciously and negligently while their parents run errands. While anyone can experience a memory lapse and forget a child (it's the most common reason children are left behind), that little slip could be deadly. Vehicles heat up quickly on a hot day, and a child might die of hyperthermia in just minutes!

Share with your students these helpful tips for avoiding a hot-vehicle mishap:

• Place your cell phone, purse/briefcase, etc., on the floor of the vehicle's rear seating area. When you retrieve them at the end of your trip, you'll notice your child as well.
• Seat the younger (or quieter) child behind the front passenger seat, where he or she is most likely to catch your eye.
• Keep a teddy bear or other stuffed animal in the car seat when it's empty. When you put your child in the seat, move the toy to the front passenger seat as a reminder.
• Make a habit of always opening the back door of your vehicle after you park to make sure there's no child back there.
• Ask your child's babysitter or day care provider to always phone you promptly if your child isn't dropped off as scheduled.

Youth Traffic Safety Month Reinforces Improved Awareness this May

by guest contributor Lillian Sanders

There are many different traffic related campaigns and causes conducted annually, but perhaps one of the most important involves road safety relating to teenagers. Good techniques instilled at an early age can become lifelong safe driving habits. This May, Youth Traffic Safety Month is being recognized throughout the United States as an opportunity to help young drivers toward safer practices on the road.

Youth Traffic Safety Month is presented by the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS), a group of youth-based organizations that work together to promote safety for children and teenagers. The need for improved road safety for teenagers will be met with numerous different campaigns and rallies throughout the month of May. Many high schools are set to have guest speakers on the topic of driving safety, while a number of celebrities and leaders from the automobile industry are also set to speak up for traffic and safety relating to teenagers.

The integration and growth of technology has certainly had an adverse affect on safe roads over the past few years, and the effort to improve teen driving safety comes at a time when distracted driving is in the spotlight more than ever. Many agencies and groups are aiming to improve the roads through new laws and education that serves to influence young drivers' behavior behind the wheel.

The figures related to teen driving and distractions over the past few years are quite telling. In a recent survey by AT&T, it was found that nearly half of today's teenagers are likely texting and driving behind the wheel. The statistics sank in even more when the survey revealed that over 90% of those teenagers were regularly texting and driving—even though they knew the practice to be dangerous!

Efforts like Youth Traffic Safety Month are strong reminders that there's plenty to be done with regard to making our roads safer, especially for younger drivers. Enhanced awareness, good education, and proper training can lay the groundwork for safer drivers in the future and help to reverse these troubling statistics. Products like Teach Your Teen to Drive…and stay alive can help parents to help their teens become safer drivers. To get yours today, visit Amazon.com, or contact TSC's Director of Affiliate Operations, Gloria Verver, (via email or by calling 800 . 252 . 9488) for affiliate pricing and bulk-purchase discounts.

Parent-Teen Book: Hot for the Summer!

We at Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., would like to remind you about our great new product, Teach Your Teen to Drive…and stay alive. This parent-teen driving guidebook covers the supervised driving requirements in all 50 states (for up to 60 hours of behind-the-wheel practice). It's the perfect teaching tool for parents, and helps to eliminate the stress and anxiety associated with training a new teen driver. And it makes a great gift idea for family members and friends who have teenagers. This is a highly recommended product—especially for all driver training schools and traffic schools that offer classes to first time drivers. Give your business a bump and keep your students from a fender-bender: Order your stock of this outstanding new product today!

If you are interested in offering Teach Your Teen to Drive—and stay alive to your students, or via a link on your website, please contact our Director of Affiliate Operations, Gloria Verver, (via email or by calling 800 . 252 . 9488) for inexpensive affiliate pricing and bulk-purchase discounts!

Outstanding Parent-Teen Driving Guide Available

Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) has been hard at work, and we're getting ready to roll out several exciting new products in the upcoming months. The first of these, available immediately, is our fantastic parent-teen driving manual!

Teach Your Teen to Drive…and stay alive

The process of learning to drive can create a great deal of anxiety for both parents and teens. A good professional driving school can help to prepare young motorists to take to the road safely, of course, but licensing regulations in all 50 states still require parents/guardians to supervise their children during practice driving sessions—for up to 60 hours behind the wheel, depending on the jurisdiction. Teach Your Teen to Drive…and stay alive provides life-saving tips and easy-to-follow, structured exercises to reduce stress factors for everyone. Ten years in the making, this is undoubtedly the best—and easiest—parent-teen driving guide ever written.

The book features:

• Rave reviews from law enforcement, traffic safety professionals, authors, and readers alike.
• Eight simple, life-saving lessons that employ innovative teaching techniques: Parents demonstrate each drill three times, followed by the teen performing the drill three times.
• At the end of each lesson, the teen performs a culmination of the drills; then parents and teens celebrate with our famous "ice cream social," creating an experience both will cherish forever.
• Entertaining and insightful writing by Bruce and Brett Elkins for Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., the nation's preeminent authority on driver safety.
• The book makes an educational gift for teen birthdays, or for friends, parents, or grandparents who know a young driver-in-training.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for 15- to 20-year-olds, and 1 in 4 licensed drivers age 16 and 17 is involved in a collision. Teach Your Teen to Drive…and stay alive is a natural complement to any driver education, driver training, or traffic safety course that you offer, and it presents a great opportunity to make a supplemental sale. Your relieved customers will be grateful, and this book will have a dramatic impact on many of your students' families. It might even save a life!

Place Your Order Now!

If you are interested in offering Teach Your Teen to Drive…and stay alive to your students, or via a link on your website, please contact our Director of Affiliate Operations, Gloria Verver, (via email or by calling 800 . 252 . 9488) for inexpensive affiliate pricing and bulk-purchase discounts!

Do It For the Kids!

October 18 – 24 is this year's National Teen Driver Safety Week. Now is the perfect time to remind the students in your driver improvement classes of the effects their negative driving behaviors can have on others — in particular, their children.

Most parents are certain that their kids don't listen to a thing they say. Research shows, however, that parental involvement is the single most important factor in reducing the risk of crash involvement for young drivers.

And the risk of a crash is considerable. Learning to drive could be the most dangerous milestone in a teen's life, as automobile collisions are the leading cause of death for 15- to 20-year-olds. In Florida in 2008, 13,916 teen drivers were killed or injured in over 36,000 crashes. Teens are involved in three times as many fatal crashes as all other drivers, per vehicle mile driven. And it's not just teens who are injured or killed: young drivers pose a risk to other drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. (For more statistics, check out the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration's latest Traffic Safety Fact Sheet on Young Drivers.)

Remind your students that, because teens tend to model their parents' driving behavior, they need to take a good, hard look at their behind-the-wheel habits. If not for their own safety, they should do it their children. After all, you never know who's watching!

»  You might also remind parents about your Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education (TLSAE) seminar — aka the First Time Driver course — for teens. Nationally in 2007, 31% of young drivers (15 to 20 years old) who were killed in crashes had alcohol in their system!  «