(Ames) The Iowa Department of Transportation is helping young drivers navigate the real-world challenges they face behind the wheel: peer pressure, risky decisions, and inexperience.
The Iowa DOT’s Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) announces the launch of a new national driver safety initiative, Alive at 25 as part of National Teen Driver Safety Week to address educational objectives focused on improving driver behavior among Iowa’s youngest drivers. Alive at 25 is a four-hour course designed to complement standard driver education programs. Participants in the Alive at 25 class will learn the negative effects and dangers associated with speeding, distractions, peer pressure, and driver inexperience.
Young drivers who receive a second violation on their intermediate license now have a one-time opportunity to complete the Alive at 25 program through the Iowa Illinois Safety Council instead of serving a license suspension. If the course is completed by the deadline listed in their suspension notice, MVD will lift the suspension. While the one-time program is voluntary, it’s a valuable option as research shows that suspensions fail to improve driving behavior, but education can have a positive and measurable impact.
After a thorough review of crash data, current programs, and national best practices, a team of experts from the Motor Vehicle Division, DOT Traffic & Safety, UnityPoint Health, and the University of Iowa recommended the Alive at 25 program, an interactive, behavior-focused course developed by the National Safety Council and designed specifically for drivers aged 15 to 24.
Alive at 25 is designed to change behavior with a curriculum designed to provide meaningful, practical tools that can help prevent crashes and save lives:
-Risk recognition and the impact of poor decision-making
-Distractions, peer pressure, and driver inexperience
-State laws on impaired driving, speeding, seatbelts, and cellphone use
-Defensive driving techniques and passenger responsibility
“Alive at 25 is not a repeat of driver education,” says Iowa DOT’s Driver Education Program Manager Vania Boyd. “This program focuses solely on improving poor driving behaviors such as speeding, distracted driving, and peer pressure. Driving is a heavy responsibility, and we want to ensure young Iowans feel comfortable and confident behind-the-wheel, and our goal is to educate young drivers through interactive exercises and discussions aimed to improve their decision-making skills,” Boyd adds.
The Alive at 25 program will be jointly administered by MVD and the Iowa Illinois Safety Council, with regular coordination to monitor student participation and course completions.
