Free Defensive Driving for Teens

Burlington County Sheriff Jean Stanfield today announced that she had received a $13,620 highway safety grant that will enable her department to offer a comprehensive defensive driving program to all high schools throughout Burlington County.

Stanfield made the announcement today at Seneca High School in Tabernacle while participating with other county agencies and local organizations in a drunk driving prevention workshop for high school students.

“The defensive driving program is similar to the program being offered today in that it also delves into the dangers of driving while impaired,” said the Sheriff. “But the overall intent is to teach young drivers how to anticipate and safely avoid all kinds of accidents.”

The six-hour program, to be taught by County sheriff officers, includes the NJ State Safety Council certified defensive driving course. Participants will be entitled to a 5 percent insurance discount and a two-point NJ Motor Vehicles Division reduction for an $8 fee to the NJ State Safety Council for a certificate accepted by Motor Vehicles and most insurance carriers.

Stanfield said the Sheriff's Department has just begun reaching out to high schools throughout the County, asking them to cosponsor the defensive driving program. Thus far, four have responded. Bordentown Regional High School has been scheduled for May. Details still need to be worked out with Cinnaminson , Delran, and Pemberton.

The grant dollars, recently approved by the State's Division of Highway Traffic Safety, will be used to offset personnel costs, and to pay for computer software and other equipment, such as “fatal vision goggles,” which give individuals an idea of how badly their vision can be impaired by alcohol or drugs.

One of the software programs, said Stanfield, “provides a real eye-opening experience of its own, in that it will create a digital image of the student with facial injuries sustained from a serious crash.”

“We will provide a handout introducing the program to the students and their parents, a NJ State Safety Council certified instructor, books and other training materials,” Stanfield added.

The school would be responsible for assembling a class of 25 to 30 students and providing a room for the class. The classes could be offered weekdays after 3:30 p.m. or on Saturdays.

For more information, call the Sheriff's Office at (609) 265-5127.

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Author: Press Release