CANTON -- The St. Lawrence County Traffic Safety Program is offering tips to teen drivers as part of Teen Driver Safety Week, which runs from Oct. 18-24.

“Even though your teens might be gaining some independence and getting older, protecting them from harm shouldn’t stop now,” said Mary Davison, traffic safety specialist for the county program. “The ‘5 to Drive’ campaign will give parents some tools they need to keep their teen drivers safe.”

The “5 to Drive” campaign addresses the five most dangerous and deadly behaviors for teen drivers. The idea behind the campaign is to give parents the words to use when they talk with their teens about the rules of the road. NHTSA’s website, www.safercar.gov/parents, has detailed information and statistics about the five rules designed to help save the lives of teen drivers.

The “5 to Drive” rules for parents to share with their teens are:

• No Drinking and Driving

• Buckle Up. Every Trip. Every Time. Front Seat and Back

• Put It Down. One Text or Call Could Wreck It All.

• Stop Speeding Before It Stops You

• No More Than One Passenger at a Time.

“We are hoping that Teen Driver Safety Week and the ‘5 to Drive’ campaign will get the word out to all parents of teens,” Ms. Davison said. “Don’t stop protecting them now that they can drive. They need you now more than ever.”

Teen drivers need to follow these rules and night driving restrictions outlined in New York’s graduated driver licensing (GDL) law. These are listed on the DMV younger driver web site at http://dmv.ny.gov/younger-driver/younger-driver-resources.