During White Ribbon Week, May 29 to June 6, a Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s deputy visited Santa Clarita Valley’s high school senior class assemblies and distributed white ribbons attached to cards listing the names of Santa Clarita Valley youth ages 14 to 20 killed in traffic collisions in the past five years.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Sergeant Tony Arnold asked teens to wear the ribbons during their graduation ceremonies in memory of those who have lost their lives in car collisions. The ribbons also provide a drive safe message in hopes of encouraging students to have fun during their celebrations without engaging in high-risk activities, such as impaired driving, to prevent any further traffic collisions.
“Teens are looking forward to graduation celebrations and having fun with their friends. We’re encouraging students to make the weekend fun, make it safe, and then, make it home,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Sergeant Tony Arnold. “It’s a great feeling after graduation when a teen says ‘I didn’t get in the car because I heard you speak.”
The White Ribbon Campaign is a part of the Drive Safe Program, initiated by Frontier Toyota with the assistance of several community organizations including Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, Safe Rides, The Signal Newspaper, and the City of Santa Clarita.
“I would like to think that there are teens in the community who are around because “I would like to think that there are teens in the community who are around because they listened to the ‘Drive Safe’ message,” said Frontier Toyota Controller and “Drive Safe” program participant Mac Middleton.
Among the components of the program is “Trauma Nurses Talk Tough,” which sends Henry Mayo’s trauma nurses to driver’s classes at local high schools throughout the year to show graphic images of car crashes caused by teens. The presentation of images is followed by a candid discussion about what students can do to prevent collisions.
Through the “Drive Safe” program and “Safe Rides,” which has provided more than 15,000 safe rides to teens in the Santa Clarita Valley since the program’s inception in 1986, many teens are encouraged to think ahead and stay safe by making educated decisions and forming responsible habits concerning alcohol, drugs and driving.
“Teens are encouraged to plan a means of getting home safely ahead of time,” urged Safe Rides co-founder Penny Upton. “You can’t make that decision after you start drinking.”
Throughout the year, the Drive Safe team hosts a number of events designed to reinforce the message that teens should act responsibly before placing themselves in potentially dangerous vehicular situations. The main goal of the program is to get students to make a plan before they go out to be responsible, not let their friends drink or use drugs and drive or ride with an impaired driver, and take advantage of designated driver programs.
Local residents who wish to participate and join in the Drive Safe team’s efforts can pick up ribbons at Frontier Toyota, Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital gift shop, The Signal, and the City of Santa Clarita Community Services, Suite 110.
For more information, contact the Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Health Foundation at 661-253-8082.