A teenager is killed in a traffic accident collision every four hours nationwide. That equates to more than 1,870 teenagers killed each year. Another 184,000 teenagers are injured in traffic collisions.

These deaths and injuries can be substantially reduced or prevented by eliminating high-risk driving behaviors through education. The California Highway Patrol’s Start Smart program can help prevent these tragedies.

Start Smart focuses on providing comprehensive traffic safety education classes for teens and their parents.

The Start Smart class will be held at 6 p.m. April 11. It is about two hours long. Parents and teenagers can enroll by calling 967-1234.

Revised by the CHP in 2014, Start Smart employs innovative techniques to capture the attention of teenagers and parents, providing a lasting experience.

The curriculum includes information on collisions statistics, teen driver and passenger behaviors, graduated driver license (GDL) laws, cultural changes in today’s society, and the need for stronger parental involvement in a teenager’s driving experience.

“A driver license comes with a tremendous amount of responsibility,” said CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley. “Start Smart prepares new drivers and their parents for the challenges that lie ahead.

“Ultimately, the goal is to save lives by producing safe drivers through education.”

Funding for the program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

— Jonathan Gutierrez for California Highway Patrol.