| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 737 |
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| 2 | 2 | | WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to |
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| 3 | 3 | | recognize the Teens in the Driver Seat program for its efforts to |
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| 4 | 4 | | improve teen driving safety in this state; and |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of |
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| 6 | 6 | | death for young people, as demonstrated by the deaths of nearly |
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| 7 | 7 | | 6,000 teenagers nationwide annually, approximately 500 of which |
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| 8 | 8 | | occur each year in Texas; and |
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| 9 | 9 | | WHEREAS, For every teenager killed in a car crash, at least |
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| 10 | 10 | | 50 more are seriously injured, making teen driver car crashes one |
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| 11 | 11 | | of the most urgent safety and public health crises now facing our |
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| 12 | 12 | | state and nation; and |
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| 13 | 13 | | WHEREAS, It is widely recognized by experts that no single |
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| 14 | 14 | | solution can effectively reverse this trend, making it essential |
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| 15 | 15 | | that young people themselves play an active and productive role |
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| 16 | 16 | | in improving roadway safety for all drivers and passengers; and |
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| 17 | 17 | | WHEREAS, A growing number of Texas teenagers have |
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| 18 | 18 | | dedicated themselves to this important safety mission through |
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| 19 | 19 | | their involvement in the Teens in the Driver Seat program, |
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| 20 | 20 | | created by the Texas Transportation Institute and sponsored by |
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| 21 | 21 | | the Texas Department of Transportation and State Farm Insurance; |
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| 22 | 22 | | and |
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| 23 | 23 | | WHEREAS, This creative effort is distinguished by its |
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| 24 | 24 | | unique peer-to-peer approach and is the first such program of its |
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| 25 | 25 | | kind in the United States; it has already reached more than 230 |
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| 26 | 26 | | Texas schools and nearly 250,000 young Texans; and |
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| 27 | 27 | | WHEREAS, The Teens in the Driver Seat program is playing a |
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| 28 | 28 | | meaningful role in bringing about a reduction in the frequency of |
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| 29 | 29 | | teen driving fatalities in Texas; all those associated with the |
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| 30 | 30 | | program are truly worthy of commendation, in particular its |
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| 31 | 31 | | "Driving the Message" annual contest winners, the charter |
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| 32 | 32 | | members of the Teens in the Driver Seat Teen Ambassadors Board, |
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| 33 | 33 | | and the SponStar honorees gathered here today at the Texas State |
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| 34 | 34 | | Capitol; now, therefore, be it |
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| 35 | 35 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 81st |
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| 36 | 36 | | Legislature, hereby salute these innovative public servants for |
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| 37 | 37 | | their commitment, dedication, and vital contribution to their |
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| 38 | 38 | | schools, their communities, and the State of Texas; and, be it |
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| 39 | 39 | | further |
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| 40 | 40 | | RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in |
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| 41 | 41 | | honor of the Teens in the Driver Seat program as an expression of |
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| 42 | 42 | | high regard from the Texas Senate. |
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| 43 | 43 | | Uresti |
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| 44 | 44 | | ________________________________ |
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| 45 | 45 | | President of the Senate |
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| 46 | 46 | | I hereby certify that the |
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| 47 | 47 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
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| 48 | 48 | | the Senate on May 4, 2009. |
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| 49 | 49 | | ________________________________ |
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| 50 | 50 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 51 | 51 | | ________________________________ |
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| 52 | 52 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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