New initiative, Parent As Driving Partners

Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell is pleased to announce a new initiative, Parent As Driving Partners, at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 25, 2020, in the lobby of the Putnam County Office Building, 40 Gleneida Avenue, Carmel, New York.

Parents As Driving Partners is a partnership of the Putnam County Clerk, Putnam County Probation STOP-DWI, Putnam County Sheriff, Putnam County Traffic Safety Board and the Putnam County Youth Bureau. This new initiative emphasizes the role of parents in promoting safe driving habits in teens. The Youth Bureau has developed a booklet that contains some basic guidelines to help parents in their role as driving partners and includes a Parent/Teen Driving Agreement. This agreement outlines the responsibilities of both parents and teens in promoting safe driving.

Crashes are still the leading cause of teen deaths and 6 out of 10 teen crashes involve driver distraction. One-third of deaths among 13 to 19 year-olds occur in motor vehicle crashes and 16 year olds have higher crash rate than drivers of any other age.

The Putnam County Department of Motor Vehicles will be distributing this booklet to parents of teens applying for their learning permit and asking that they sign the Parent/Teen Driving Agreement.
The booklet and agreement will also be available at the Putnam County Youth Bureau as part of a comprehensive program addressing safe driving which also includes the SIDNE (Simulated Impaired Driving Experience) required by all county high schools in order to qualify for a school parking space.

Please join us on February 25th and help make Putnam County a better place for youth and their families.