NEWFANE — The Windham County Sheriff's Department is the recipient of a $61,135 grant from State Farm Insurance's Youth Advisory Board grant.
The money will be used to purchase vehicle simulators for the Sheriff's Enhanced Teen Driver Safety Program. The program, developed and taught by Deputy First Class Michael Roj, strives to reduce safety issues related to teenage driving.
“This equipment will add to the already comprehensive and existing program which provides teens an opportunity to encounter hazardous road conditions in a safe environment,” Roj said in a news release.
According to Roj, teenage operators make up 7 percent of the driving population, but account for 15 percent of all motor vehicle crashes.
The safety program is beginning its third year of operation, and Roj said the most recent school semester saw more than 92 students from Windham County take the training.
“None of the students enrolled were involved in motor vehicle crashes - a significant deviation from the national trend,” Roj said.