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WHAT IS CARTEENS?
The CARTEENS program is a traffic safety education program
for first time juvenile traffic offenders. The CAR in
CARTEENS stands for Cautious and Responsible, which is the
main objective and focus of the program’s presentations.
The program format utilizes visual aids (i.e. videos, slides,
etc.), lectures, group discussions, skits and an evaluation
tool to help assist violators in becoming safer and more
responsible drivers.
PURPOSE
Teen driving and traffic fatalities are a national as well
as local issue. The use of cell phones, text messaging and
general distractions from other teens while driving has led
to increased concerns. Laws are being proposed and modified
to address this growing situation. In Greene County
juvenile traffic cases make up 25% of all cases before the
court. The CARTEENS program is our attempt to directly
focus on this critical issue at the local level.
The program is designed to reduce the number of second time
juvenile traffic offenders by helping youths make more
responsible choices. It will help to increase awareness of
driving decisions and the impact these decisions have on
others. The statement will be clearly made that “the
decisions you make will affect those you know and those you
do not know.”
PROGRAM PROVIDERS
The major agency participants in the CARTEENS program are:
1)
Ohio 4-H Program
2)
Ohio Highway Patrol
3)
Greene County Juvenile Court
The Ohio 4-H will assist through its Junior League Club’s,
Youth Leadership Program. Their teens will serve as youth
instructors and program facilitators. They will be trained
and instructed by the 4-H leadership in terms of
presentation methods. In general, 4-H will be responsible
for program management and evaluation.
The Ohio Highway Patrol will participate through its various
presentations. They will present a video (End Result)
dealing with driving accident statistics. They will also
discuss and stress seat belt safety, defensive driving and
the ever growing deadly issue of drinking and driving.
The Ohio Highway Patrol’s involvement will also help to
establish better communication with an appreciation for
police authority. It will help to remove the fear factor,
instill respect and promote the humanization factor.
An additional
video (Cry for Life) will also be used to focus on the fact
that an accident can happen to anyone. It will further
emphasize the impact that a crash has on family, friends and
community.
The final participating agency will be Greene County
Juvenile Court. The Court will be responsible for all
referrals to the program. The procedure will be to Court
order first time traffic offenders into the program as part
of their disposition. They will be given an information
sheet about CARTEENS with the date, time and place for their
participation. The Court will keep a list of those
individuals for attendance verification.
Additionally,
the Court will be responsible for housing the program, which
will take place on the third Tuesday of each month, and for
follow-up on those who fail to attend. No-shows will be
addressed through further Court remedies to include
reassignment or a Court re-appearance before the
Judge/Magistrate. It may be necessary in some extreme cases
to temporarily suspend a violator’s license until CARTEENS
program participation has been met. Nevertheless, the main
objective is to have the child participate in the program. |
