Young drivers between the ages of 15 and 20, compromise 6.5% of the licensed population and too often are amongst the high number of Texans injured or killed due to speed, DUI, failure to wear a seat belt and other poor driving habits.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death of 15-20 year olds. NHTSA reported that 23% of the young drivers between the ages of 15 and 20, who were killed in crashes, had a BAC of .08 or higher.

Driving on the Right Side of the Road is a project aimed at social studies teachers at the elementary, middle and high school levels that is possible through a collaborative effort with the Texas Municipal Courts Education Center and Law Focused Education Inc. a project of the State Bar of Texas and funding through the Texas Department of Transportation.

Highlights & Accomplishments

·     Driving on the Right Side of the Road was developed to infuse the study of traffic safety issues into social studies classes at grades 5, 8 and high school government using the strategies of law-related education, including the use of judges and court support personnel as resource persons in classrooms. In addition develop a statewide conference showcasing these programs.

·     Forty trainers across the state of Texas were trained on the Driving on the Right Side of the Road Program and materials, through the train-the-trainer that was held in April 2008.

• These trainers were involved in offering twenty-five Driving on the Right Side of the Road trainings across Texas in FY 08 with 601 people having been trained for a total of 2175 training hours. 

• It is anticipated that the 640 people who were trained in FY 08 will positively impact 66,000 Texas children and youth through the DRSR Traffic Safety program in FY 09.

• Sets of lessons in conjunction with hands-on activities, computer based learning and gifted and talented extensions were developed. These learning strategies allow for the maximum benefit and retention. All of these materials and resources have been placed on the Texas municipal courts Education Center’s web-site for free access.

• All of the FY08 & FY 09 performance measures were met or exceeded.

Kids In Court... Children visit the Pasadena Municipal Court with Judge Lester Rorick to learn more about municipal courts.

For more information contact tmcec at 800.252.3718

A project of the Texas Municipal Courts Education Center

in cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation