Rosemount Parent-Teen Driving Meeting Grant Proposal

Abstract

This project was completed as part of a year-long partnership between the City of Rosemount and the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (http://www.rcp.umn.edu). According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, traffic crashes are the number-one killer of Minnesota teens—each year, more than 30 teens between the ages of 16 and 19 are killed on Minnesota roads. Teens are at greatest risk on the road due to inexperience, risk-taking behind the wheel, speeding, and distracted driving. Teens also have the lowest seat belt use rate of all age groups. The goal of this project was to investigate successful programs and partnerships to reduce teen traffic crash risks. In collaboration with students from Rosemount High School and city project lead Chad Rosa, a police officer for City of Rosemount, a team of students in YOST 5032: Adolescent and Youth Development for Youthworkers researched the issue of youth driving, proposed an evidence-based program to reduce teen traffic crash risks, and wrote a grant application to potentially fund the program. A final report and poster from the project are available.