New efforts underway to encourage passengers to help reduce fatal car crashes
SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento region has some of the highest numbers of fatal traffic collisions in the state.
Sacramento police say that last year, more than 50 people died on city streets. Now, as part of National Passenger Safety Week, there's an effort to reduce fatal collisions by encouraging passengers to intervene.
"If you're a passenger and the driver is speeding or tailgating or zooming from lane to lane cutting people off, you as a passenger have a right to say something," said David Reich with the National Road Safety Foundation.
Reich said that a quarter of all people killed in vehicle crashes are a passenger.
"That's about 9,000 people every year," he said. "Nine thousand passengers are killed every year on our roads and highways."
"We all want to get home safely each and every night, and with passenger power, we can do that," said Kelly Browning, executive director of Impact Teen Drivers.
Traffic safety advocates across the country are now pushing, saying it's OK to be a backseat driver when it comes to vehicle safety.
"It's better to be a backseat driver than a dead passenger," Reich said. "Drivers very often will listen and will change their behavior if a passenger says, 'Hey, you're scaring me. You're making me nervous. Take it easy.' "
Even helping prevent minor driving distractions can help.
"Passengers can be the best co-pilots," Browning said. "If the music or the temperature needs adjusting, the passenger should be the one to assist. Let the driver keep the two hands on the wheel."
Officials say it's especially important for teens and young adults to intervene as we see more reckless driving with sideshows across the region.
"Every single kid I've ever spoken to says the same thing, "I wish I had a chance to go back and do it differently," Browning said.
The California Office of Traffic Safety will also begin running driver safety messages on digital scoreboards and PA announcements at high school sporting events.