ST. GEORGE – The Southwest Utah Public Health Department is now offering the Driver’s Education Parent Program. This program is a one-time presentation where students enrolled in driver’s education bring their parents or guardians to learn about safe driving and Utah’s graduated driver license laws.

The Parent Program covers crash and injury-causing behaviors such as drowsy driving, distracted driving, aggressive driving, and impaired driving. Wearing seatbelts is also emphasized.

“This class is a powerful experience that helps teens understand the responsibility and potential danger that come with the privilege of driving,” the department’s Health Educator and Parent Program presenter Erin McMullin said. “They learn that people involved in accidents are no different from them and that one mistake can cost a life.”

Attending the presentation with parents gives students a better chance for accountability. “It’s great to have parents come up afterward and tell us how much they enjoyed it and how they are going to talk with their teen about setting rules to help keep them safe,” McMullin said.

The health department is offering the Parent Program in Washington, Iron, Beaver, Kane, and Garfield counties.

High schools in Hurricane, Kanab, and Orderville have already taken advantage of this opportunity.

“The information presented is a great reminder of the responsibility that we all take on when we become drivers,” driver’s education teacher Jeff Adamson said. “After seeing how much this class impacts both the students and the parents, I decided to make this a required component for our driver’s ed classes.”

Contact your school’s driver’s education teacher to find out if the Parent Program is available for your high school student. Requests for the presentation can be made to Cambree Johnson at 435-865-5151 or [email protected].

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