Community Parent Center, Central District team up on safe driving

The Community Parent Center, Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District and Nassau County Legislator David Denenberg are sponsoring a “Driving in the Safe Lane” program at the Brookside School in North Merrick on Jan. 14.

The program will run from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Parents and teenagers of driving age are encouraged to attend.

“Driving in the Safe Lane” brings together a retired police officer and the parent of a teen driver who was killed in a car crash. The aim is to educate parents and new and prospective teen drivers about safe driving measures, New York state driving laws and parental responsibilities. Since the program began, officials said, it has grown in popularity.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of injury and death among teenagers ages 16 to 19, according to the Centers for Disease Control. “Driving in the Safe Lane” was launched in 2006 by the Community Parent Center in response to the growing problem of unsafe teen driving.

“Our goal is to save young lives through education and awareness,” said Wendy Tepfer, the Community Parent Center’s executive . “Our message is that driving is a privilege and comes with great responsibility.”

“Driving in the Safe Lane” is funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, with a grant from the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee. The Community Parent Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing parents and families with education, resource information and the support they need to raise resilient children who are safe, confident, nonviolent and drug-free.

To register for the program, or for more information about the Community Parent Center, call (516) 771-9346 or email cpc1260@hotmail.com.