Jacksonville, FL. — The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has a free program that’s helping teens become safer drivers.
18-year-old Timberly Haggit went through the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office teen driver challenge.
It’s where she learned how to become a safer driver every time she gets behind the wheel.
“I’m thinking about how to be a more cautious driver and like pay attention to the road instead of like my phone or if there’s somebody in the car,” Haggit said.
Sgt. Skye Barber told Action News Jax the Sheriff’s Office puts these teens through different obstacles and scenarios like what to do if your car begins to hydroplane and most importantly distracted driving and getting off your cell phones.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has put on this program for the last two years, usually twice a year, but now they’re adding 7 more classes.
The goal is to reduce the number of deadly crashes involving teens.
“We know that one of the leading causes of death among teenagers is teenage driving and anything that we can do to increase their knowledge and increase their abilities, you know that’s what we strive to do,” Sgt. Barber said.
In 2018 almost 2,500 teens between the ages of 13 to 19 were killed in the U.S. and 285,000 were treated in the ER for injuries resulting from a crash. That’s according to the CDC.
Haggit said before taking the program the thought of driving made her anxious, but now she has the confidence she needs with help from people like Sgt. Barber.
“They made me feel at ease by like telling me that it’s going to be okay, like you can’t be more nervous because the more nervous that you are the less that you’re going to be focusing,” Haggit said.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office says their next teen driver challenge is Saturday.
The teen driver challenge is for teens 16 to 19 years old who at least have their learners permit and teens should have at least 20 hours of driving experience for starting the program.
Participants are asked to bring a face mask to class and wear it when social distancing is not provided.
Hand sanitizer will also be provided for teens.
If you would like to participate you can click HERE (Insert link)
Class schedule:
- Saturday, November 14, 2020
- Saturday, January 23, 2021
- Saturday, March 6, 2021
- Saturday, April 10, 2021
- Saturday, May 29, 2021
- Saturday, September 18, 2021