Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced a new media campaign Friday encouraging parents to spend more quality time helping teens practice safe driving skills.
Developed by the Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO), the campaign draws comparisons between time spent learning to drive and other common extracurriculars such as sports and music. Officials hope the message reminds families that mastering safe driving takes consistent effort from both teens and parents.
“Teens spend a significant amount of time practicing extracurriculars, and parents should set the expectation that their kids put that same amount of effort into learning to drive,” DeWine said in a statement. “The stakes are incredibly high when learning to drive.”
Ohio law requires teens to complete 50 hours of supervised driving before earning a probationary license, but OTSO officials say many teens fall short of that target. The new campaign directs families to TeachYourTeenToDrive.ohio.gov, which features guides, videos and a free online Parent Orientation course.
The launch coincides with the “100 Deadliest Days” between Memorial Day and Labor Day, a period marked by a spike in teen driving fatalities. In 2024, Ohio saw 97 teen-involved fatal crashes, nearly 70% of which were caused by the teen driver.
The state also unveiled a new Teen Crash Dashboard to raise awareness and help parents better understand crash data and risks.
Free advanced driver training events will be held across the state this summer. Registration details are available on the campaign website.
Source: Ohio Department of Transportation, 10tv.com
