Memorial Day will kick off the 100 deadliest days for teen drivers. Ahead of the stretch of summer when AAA Texas says more young people die on the roads than any other time of the year, it partnered with the City of Dallas Judiciary and Dallas Parks and Recreation to host a Teen Driver Safety Fair Saturday.
Together with partners, the agencies educated those in attendance on the dangers of distracted driving, impaired driving and speeding.
Lili Trujillo Puckett, founder and executive director of Street Racing Kills, was among the presenters. In 2013, her 16-year-old daughter, Valentina, was killed in a street racing crash.
"He was going over 80 miles an hour, crashed against an SUV and then against a fence. The only person that was killed was my daughter,” said Trujillo Puckett.
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Now, Trujillo Puckett travels the country to events advocating for legislation that can help curb street racing and intersection takeovers, a dangerous and deadly problem that continues to plague North Texas communities.
“Speed is what also kills you in the end if you crash or something happens. You can end up in jail for killing someone. You can end up handicapped or of course, the passenger can die,” she said.
Her presentation was one of several at the Campbell Green Recreation Center in North Dallas.
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Others, including the Texas Department of Transportation, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Dallas Police Department, educated young people on the dangers of impaired driving, speed, failing to buckle up and distractions.
"We've seen the number of fatalities statewide go up dramatically,” said TxDOT spokesperson Tony Hartzel.
Car crashes are the second leading cause of death for teens in the U.S., and teen drivers are more at risk than any other group to be involved in a crash.
In addition to presentations, Street Racing Kills runs a reckless driving intervention program that mentors those who’ve been charged with felonies or misdemeanors due to reckless driving.
