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AAA Regional Teen Driver Safety Fair at Santa Clarita's Central Park to Teach Teens How to "Fit" in a Car for Safety and Road Visibility

Event Kicks Off National Teen Driver Safety Week

The Automobile Club of Southern California will kick off National Teen Driver Safety Week by hosting another of its popular regional Teen Driver Safety Fairs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, in Santa Clarita. The fair will feature a teen driver "car fit" to ensure that young drivers are "correctly fitted" to a vehicle for driving safety and road visibility along with under-the-hood maintenance workshops.

National Teen Driver Safety Week is observed Oct. 18-24. Numerous community groups will join the Auto Club's safety resource fair at the city's Central Park-Field #3, 27150 Bouquet Canyon Road. Central Park is the site of the Youth Grove dedicated to youth who have died in traffic-related incidents and serves as the community's tool to promote safe and responsible driving. There also will be interactive audio tours of the grove.

"Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of deaths for teens and more than 15,000 teen drivers ages 16-19 are killed or injured every year in California," said the Auto Club's Community Programs and Traffic Safety Team Lead Anita Lorz. "To help reduce these tragedies, the Auto Club and its Driving School hosts regional traffic safety fairs to share information with families to help prepare their teen driver for the road."

Representatives from the CHP, DMV, L.A.'s County Fire and Sheriff Depts., Santa Clarita Valley Youth Project, Victims Against Street Racing, Visions in Progress Youth Advisory Committee, ACTION Parent & Teen Support Group Programs, IMPACT Teen Drivers and many others are participating. They will help families with teens learn where to get information for young drivers. The fair also will offer many teen driver presentations, including one on California's Graduated Driver Licensing law and licensing requirements.

The event will feature music, interactive activities, a rock-climbing wall, contests and giveaways. A vehicle donated by a Southern California family whose teen was killed in a crash also will be displayed. Teens will receive a goodie bag that includes Driver-ZED, an interactive CD that shows teens different driving situations.

During a "car fit" Auto Club Driving School instructors will show teens how to properly adjust the safety belt, foot pedals, mirrors and seat height so young drivers achieve a good safety fit before they drive. "Most teens practice in the family vehicle and should make adjustments when they get behind the wheel," said the Auto Club's Driving School Manager Kathy Downing. "How they fit in the car is different from their parents."