National Campaign Seeks To End Deadly Epidemic Of Speed

MORGANTON, N.C. - Sept. 9, 2021 - PRLog -- Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) and the Ford Motor Company Fund (Ford Fund) have launched a new campaign calling upon teens to end the deadly epidemic of speed.

SADD students created the Speak-Up, Slow-Down campaign with support from the Ford Fund to draw attention to the rising number of teen crashes, injuries, and roadway fatalities caused by excess speed. A report from the Ford Fund and the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) highlights that 15,510 teen drivers aged 16 to 19 were involved in fatal vehicle crashes from 2015-2019. More than one-third of those crashes—5,202—involved speeding.

Car crashes continue to be a leading cause of death for students, especially across rural America where speeding is seen as a daily activity," said Rick Birt, SADD President and CEO. "We want teens to slow down and use their voice to speak up if they're in a car with a driver that is being unsafe. That once decision can and will save lives.

The campaign will launch in North Dakota, a state that continues to have some of the highest speed limits in the US. Phase one of the campaign will be released with back-to-school messaging, phase two as part of National Teen Driver Safety Week in October, and phase three with holiday safety messaging in November. These phases include the creation of new virtual content, public service announcements, and more, which was created in part with the help of the staff from Eide Ford of Bismarck.

The Ford Fund and SADD have worked together on teen safe driving through Ford Driving Skills for Life (https://www.fordfund.org/driving-safely), a program that teaches and encourages safe driving techniques to teens and newly licensed drivers.

"Through this campaign, we will tackle the issue of speeding with SADD chapters in North Dakota and across the county. While speeding is risky for all drivers, it is particularly problematic for teens 16 to 19 years of age," said Jim Graham, manager, Ford Motor Company Fund. "I look forward to seeing the creative solutions and engagement from students to help reduce speeding in their communities."

ABOUT SADD

Over the past 40 years, SADD, the nation's premier youth health & safety organization, has worked to empower teens, engage parents, mobilize communities, and change lives around the issues of mobility safety, substance abuse, and personal health and safety. SADD equips students with the resources they need to advocate for change in their communities through a national network of peer-led chapters in middle schools, high schools, and colleges. Join the movement by visiting www.sadd.org, and follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/saddnation/?fref=ts), Twitter (https://twitter.com/saddnation), YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/SADDNational), and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/saddnation/?hl=en).