In a recent news release from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, a nationwide survey — which examined the teen-driving environment in each of the 50 states by using a collection of 23 key metrics — found New York state was ranked the safest in the nation for teen drivers. The study also found that New York had the fewest teen driver fatalities per teen population and ranked New York second overall in the nation when factoring in all key metrics.

“This ranking is a testament to the time and care that families, schools, DMV and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) take to get young drivers ready for the road,” said DMV Commissioner and GTSC Chair Mark J.F. Schroeder. “Getting a driver’s license is an important step in life and when we can teach young people to drive safely from the beginning, we know they are much more likely to carry those skills into adulthood.”

Conducted by WalletHub, the survey analyzed key factors in the areas of safety, economic environment and driving laws.

As part of the state’s ongoing effort to educate and train young drivers, the GTSC has partnered this past May with Teen Driving Solutions to conduct an industry-leading, two-day teen driver safety training. GTSC held a second event on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 at the State Preparedness Training Center in Oriskany. Plans are under way to work on scheduling additional sessions around the state in the coming months.

Funded by a grant from the national Governor’s Highway Safety Association and Ford Motor Company, the Teen Driving Solutions program combines classroom and behind the wheel training for teens and their parents to build upon driver education and to improve teens’ defense driving skills.

Since 2003, New York state has seen an 80% reduction in fatal motor vehicle crashes involving young drivers, based on 2017 data. Personal injury crashes involving young drivers have decreased by 61% due to efforts by the New York state traffic safety community.

Above and beyond educating students about safe driving through this campaign, state and local law enforcement increase patrols near local high schools throughout the state, and officers are vigilant in enforcing violations of the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) law. The GDL is intended to provide time for young drivers to gain critical experience in various traffic scenarios in a safe and controlled manner.

Through an ongoing partnership with NASCAR driver Ross Chastain and GTSC’s Protect Your Melon initiative, GTSC staff and Chastain visit high schools throughout the state each year to demonstrate the importance of seat belt safety to young people who are often the least likely to properly use and wear seat belts. GTSC also works closely with Students Against Drunk Driving and sponsors a Coaches Care program that utilizes both utilize both peers and teen mentors to spread critical safety information to young New Yorkers.