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Bingham HS students, parents aim to become safer drivers

Posted at 9:10 PM, Feb 12, 2012
and last updated 2012-02-13 02:12:16-05

A local high school wants to ensure their students are aware of safe driving habits by helping them learn from the mistakes others have made.

Every 35 minutes, a teen driver gets into a car accident, so parents and teens at Bigham High School in South Jordan got together to talk about the dangers of the roads and help develop good driving habits.

"If we can get that message to the kids and start them from the very beginning having those good habits," said Amy Dastrup with the Salt Lake Valley Health Dept. "That will make a big difference down the road."

Dastrup says increased parental involvement will help reduce bad driving habits and, ultimate, fewer fatal accidents.

"If their parents are more involved, then they're going to be better drivers down the road," said Dastrup.

Susan Strebel's son was hit by a drunk driver, killing both him and his roommate. She hopes teens will think twice before making the wrong decisions.

"Even though Blake and Derek were doing things right, the boy who killed them wasn't and it can be either situation. There are things kids can do and they need to know it. To save  their lives, to save the lives of their friends," said Strebel. "Be smart, be smart. Life is too short and it's precious."