Pennsylvania officials have launched a social-media video campaign to teach teen drivers practical road skills during Teen Driver Safety Week, which runs October 18 to 24. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) said the videos, released each day of the week on its social channels with the Pennsylvania State Police, cover changing a flat tire, checking vehicle fluids and tire pressure, handling a breakdown and what to do during a traffic stop, according to WESA and GantNews reporting.

The campaign was announced at Red Land High School in York County by PennDOT, the state departments of Education and Insurance, and the state police. “Driving is an exciting milestone in a young person's life, and also a huge responsibility,” said Larry Shifflet, PennDOT's executive deputy secretary. Acting state police commissioner Lt. Col. George L. Bivens said safe habits begin years before a teenager gets a permit, by watching the driving habits of those around them.

PennDOT's five-year figures also include 22,635 crashes involving a teen driving too fast for conditions, 14,477 involving improper or careless turning and 7,064 involving driver inexperience. Deputy Insurance Commissioner David Buono told students that at 55 miles per hour, sending a text that just says “hello” takes a driver the distance of a football field without looking at the road.

The campaign follows Paul Miller's Law, which took effect on June 5 and allows Pennsylvania police to stop and cite drivers for any activity involving a handheld device — not just texting — including while stopped at a red light. State police communications director Sgt. Logan Brouse said distracted driving remains one of the biggest challenges on Pennsylvania roads. For Punjabi families in Pennsylvania with new drivers — and for the many Punjabi truck drivers who share these highways — officials say the message is simple: put the phone away, even at a stop.