Governor Kathy Hochul's Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in partnership with Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) marked the beginning of the “No Empty Chair” campaign on April 18, which aims to eradicate teen driving deaths so there will be no empty chairs during prom and graduation season.

The teen driving education and enforcement campaign begins on Monday, April 22 and runs through Friday, April 26, 2024.

“The number one goal of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee is to save lives,” said GTSC Chair and DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder. “Making sure young drivers understand and recognize risks on the roadways and how to mitigate them, every time they’re in a vehicle, whether they’re the driver or a passenger, is essential to ensuring a safer driving population, but most importantly preventing unnecessary tragedies for families across New York State.”

Together, GTSC, DMV and SADD bring this campaign to schools across the state to educate young drivers about the challenges and dangers they may face on the road. From now until the end of the school year, SADD chapters across New York State will be hosting student-focused events in their communities, inviting survivor advocates to speak at schools, as well as providing information about underage drinking that can be shared with parents and guardians as they plan to host graduation and prom parties.

In addition to educating students about safe driving, state and local law enforcement will increase patrols near local high schools throughout the state, and officers will be vigilant in enforcing violations of the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) law. The GDL is intended to provide time for young drivers to gain critical experience in various traffic scenarios in a safe and controlled manner.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for young adults in the United States. In 2021, 3,058 teenagers under 19 years of age died in motor vehicle crashes, which is 11 percent more than in 2020. Per miles driven, teen drivers in this age group are nearly three times as likely to be in a fatal crash as drivers 20-years-old or older.

GTSC offers a Younger Driver Toolkit including resources for coaches and school resource officers. Additional younger driver resources are also available on the DMV website.

Combined with education and enforcement campaigns, GTSC coordinates various traffic safety activities throughout the year and supports ongoing initiatives to improve pedestrian, motorcycle, and bicycle safety. The GTSC also sponsors critical training for law enforcement, provides resources for teen drivers and their parents, and promotes seatbelt use statewide.