DomeShift Event Sheds Light on Growing Number of Crashes in Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Dec. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Ohio SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) is teaming up with partners State Farm and the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility this week for the second annual DomeShift event, a two-day teen advocacy training event attended by over 200 high school delegates from across the state.

Youth leaders will receive training on advocacy, community engagement and communication strategies that empower them to speak with members of the Ohio General Assembly on the issues of teen traffic safety, underage drinking and youth leadership. Teens will later meet with Ohio's Lieutenant Governor, Mary Taylor, as well as their local representatives.

The event will kick off Impaired Driving Prevention Month – where we reflect not only on the 1,029 fatal injury crashes, but also on the 462,128 total crashes in Ohio in 2015. To raise awareness of this issue, Ohio SADD chapters at the event will launch the We CAN Reach Zero Campaign, an effort to not only bring light to and signify the growing number of teens ages 15 to 24 involved in these crashes, but also to give back during the holiday season. Non-perishable food items in cans are being donated by DomeShift attendees to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), car crashes remain the leading cause of death for teens in the US. "A deadly combination of impairment, distractions and inexperience combine to make ages 15-24 the most dangerous time of an adolescent's life," said Teresa Carper, State Coordinator for Ohio SADD. "We believe that by empowering teens, engaging parents and mobilizing communities, we can stop these crashes and save lives."

Ohio SADD is proud to partner with State Farm and the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility, who both support a number of traffic safety and community change programs.

ABOUT SADD 
Founded in 1981, SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) is the nation's premier youth health and safety organization. SADD empowers young people with tools and resources needed to confront the risks and pressures they face every day including substance abuse, impaired and distracted driving, mental illness and more. Through informed programming and a national peer-to-peer network, SADD is shaping young people into leaders and advocates for youth health and safety in their schools and communities. There are hundreds of thousands of active SADD students across all 50 states and millions of successful alumni. Join the SADD movement at sadd.org and follow SADD on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

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SOURCE SADD