VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — AAA and traffic safety organizations across Virginia came together Saturday to teach safe driving practices to teenagers and their families through interactive demonstrations and real-world simulations.
The AAA Tidewater Teen Driver Bootcamp featured hands-on activities including a drunk driving simulator that showed new drivers what it would look like behind the wheel if intoxicated.
"Wear your seatbelt. Slow down. And get off your phone. If you could just do those three things, the roads would be a safe place to drive," said Alvin Costa, program manager for the Christopher King Foundation.
The event emphasized the serious responsibility that comes with driving privileges.
"So, it's something that you have to earn, and can very easily be taken away. So, just want to make sure, implore, the seriousness of the tasks that driving is, and that it requires 100% of your mental, visual, physical energy when you're out there driving," said Ryan Adcock, public relations specialist AAA Tidewater.
For families like the Jacovides family from Virginia Beach, safe driving education hits close to home.
"My wife's uncle was killed in a drunk driving accident by another driver. About, I guess 25 years ago up in New York. Ever since then, it's something we've always been aware of because it's not just controlling yourself, you know, in terms of like what you're doing when you're driving, and the substances you consume, but also being aware of others at the same time," said Nick Jacovides.
The training comes as teen driving fatalities continue to rise in Virginia. According to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Highway Safety Office, there were 38 teen driver fatalities in Virginia in 2024, representing almost a 20% increase since 2023.
Participants took part in various interactive driving exercises, including learning how to share the road safely with tractor trailers and understanding vehicle blind spots.
"The most important thing, for sure, is this situation right here. You gotta stay off the phones, gotta stay completely disconnected and focused on the road," said Mark Abbott, tractor trailer driver for Virginia Tech.
The bootcamp provided families with practical tools and resources to help keep teen drivers safe on Virginia roads. To find more inormation on AAA Tidewater's safe driving for teens resources, click here.
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