DAPHNE, Ala. — The Gulf Coast Alive at 25 Safe Teen Driver Training Center for Mobile and Baldwin counties has worked to raise awareness in reminding holiday travelers to drive carefully; and if you have an adolescent driver, you can take this time to talk to them about safe driving.

Dec. 21 and Dec. 31 are thought to be two of the most dangerous — and possibly fatal — times to be driving.

You can avoid seven deadly driving mistakes by: slowing down; not driving impaired;  buckling up; limiting teen drivers to three passengers; putting cell phones away while driving; not driving tired; and maintaining safe distances.

The Gulf Coast Alive at 25 Safe Teen Driver Training Center will be created in February to provide free safety training to inexperienced drivers between the ages 15 to 24. The Alive at 25 program was developed by the National Safety Council and has been used to train over 750,000 young drivers nationwide since 1995.  The interactive eight-hour program encourages young drivers to take responsibility for their driving behavior.

Certified instructors will use personal example, humor, workbook exercises, interactive media segments, group discussions, role playing and short lectures to help young drivers develop convictions and strategies that will keep them safer on the road.

In a recent study by the National Safety Council, South Carolina Chapter, 98 percent of participants said they would change their driving behavior after completing this course, according to a spokesperson associated with the program.

This program will be provided by the Citrin Safety Foundation with the assistance of local sponsors and volunteers. Andy Citrin, attorney and president of Citrin Law Firm in Daphne, established the Citrin Safety Foundation with a mission of making the community safer, according to a spokesperson.

The initial project for the Citrin Safety Foundation is to launch the Alive at 25 program and begin providing young driver training, which is free to all participants. 

“Statistics show that if we can help get our young drivers to 25 they are far less likely to die in a car crash,” said Citrin. “Traffic crashes are the leading cause of teen fatalities, accounting for 44 percent of teen deaths in the U.S.

“If people could see what I’ve seen in 24 years assisting accident victims, they would understand why I am so committed to promoting safety.  Avoiding tragedies (is) the only answer.  Nothing devastates a family more than losing a loved one to an accident which could have been avoided by basic safety principles,” Citrin added.

Program overview

The program will be launched at a special event to be held at the Daphne Civic Center from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010.

The Citrin Safety Foundation will provide the trainers, facilities and training materials to train up to 300 young drivers. Drivers between the ages of 15 to 24 are invited to participate free of charge. A general session will be held between 8:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. Attendees will hear guest speakers and testimonials from individuals affected by teen accidents.

In some cases, insurance discounts may apply for program completion. You can contact your insurance provider for availability and details.

“This new program is just getting off the ground and it is very exciting. In the past few weeks we have secured our certification as a training center, rented the facility and trained and certified 10 instructors who will be providing the training,” said program director Ashley Jones.

“We have a lot to do to prepare for this event. In the coming weeks we will be seeking volunteers and co-sponsors for the worthy cause.”