Upper Moreland Township Police Department Photo by James Short.
Teen drivers are often considered a safety concern due to their inexperience behind the wheel, higher likelihood of engaging in risky behaviors such as speeding or distracted driving, and a greater tendency to underestimate dangerous situations—all of which contribute to higher crash rates among this age group.
To help alleviate these issues and concerns, the Upper Moreland Police Department has announced that registration is now open for the two-session course Teen Driver Safety 2025.
Session 1 will feature Sergeant Jim Robb, a certified Drug Recognition Expert and PA DUI Association Top Gun award winner, leading a discussion on teens and impaired driving. Session 2 will feature the UMPD Traffic Safety Unit discussing roadway safety and will include mock traffic stops.
"The Upper Moreland Police Department, especially the Traffic Safety Unit, enjoys taking an active role in the education component of keeping our roadways safe," said Upper Moreland Police Dept.'s Sgt. Pamela Cordura, member of the Traffic Safety Unit. "We do that daily with enforcement. To have programs like this, where we can talk directly and frankly with young drivers and their parents for several hours, explain the laws of the road and why they matter, as well as to be able to answer questions in a relaxed setting, is priceless. We hope this not only changes potential unsafe behavior on our roadways but the mindset of our young drivers."
One aspect of these sessions is bringing a real-world experience to life. Some teenage drivers may experience getting pulled over the first time, which may bring a bit of nervousness or uncertainty.
"I think what hits home the most is the mock traffic stops," Sgt. Cordura said. "For young drivers to know what a police officer expects on a traffic stop and why, and to know what they should expect from law enforcement, takes a lot of the stigma and anxiety away. We give them the opportunity to experience the mock traffic stop as the operator of a car, as well as the police officer so they have both perspectives."
UMPD offered this type of learning session for the first time last year, but will now expand on the success from 2024.
"The Traffic Safety Unit offered a one-day class with discussions on roadway safety, distracted driving and included mock traffic stops," Sgt. Cordura said. "This year we're so happy to include Sergeant Jim Robb and his wealth of expert knowledge on impaired drivers. As these teen drivers get older and are faced with making decisions of when someone has had too much to drink to get behind the wheel, I think Sergeant Robb's experience, credibility and way of connecting with his audience will, again, change a mindset and perhaps save a life."
The police department keeps everyone engaged during these sessions by keeping the class as conversational as possible. The goal is for kids and their parent or guardian to ask all of their questions and to reach out to police again in the future with questions or concerns.
"Creating those relationships is most important to us," Sgt. Cordura said.
"All of the officers running the class are parents of young drivers or soon-to-be young drivers so this hits home for all of us as well," Sgt. Cordura added. "The things we say and teach in this class are things we're telling our own children. The most rewarding part of teaching teens is to see them grow into happy and healthy adults in the community we serve for the rest of our careers."
To register, visit https://uppermorelandpa.myrec.com/
