Putnam County's Teen Driving Court Expands Reach

PUTNAM COUNTY, NY — Putnam County has expanded its Teen Driving Court program to Philipstown.

The Putnam County Youth Bureau announced the expansion Friday. Teen Driving Court is a piece of the Youth Bureau’s comprehensive highway safety program. An extension of the Youth Court program, it simulates a courtroom experience to educate young drivers who have recently received a traffic violation.

An agreement with the Philipstown Justice Court will allow young drivers who receive a traffic ticket there the opportunity to address their behavior before a courtroom of their peers and be assigned specific restorative recommendations to make amends for their actions.

Crashes are still a leading cause of death and nonfatal injury among adolescents across the United States. About eight teens aged 13 to 19 die every day in motor vehicle crashes, and hundreds more are injured, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Also, teen drivers engaging in one"transportation risk behavior" are more likely to engage in other risky behaviors, including impaired driving.

"Successful program completion may significantly reduce or dismiss the traffic violation for the teen, but the true aim is early intervention," Janeen Cunningham, executive director of the Putnam County Youth Bureau, said in a news release. "If young drivers can receive further education after making a mistake and positively interact with the justice system, they will be less likely to re-offend, improving the safety of our community for everyone. Increased training for young drivers will have an immediate benefit and a continued impact as they become adults in the community."

Putnam County Teen Driving Court can hear non-moving and moving violations. Cases will be drawn from the Towns of Carmel, Kent, and now Philipstown, with plans to expand to other municipalities in Putnam. To be eligible, the driver must be at least 16 years of age and cannot have previously participated in Teen Driving Court. The individual justice courts dictate the maximum age for participation.

"This is an incredibly valuable program that I’m excited we’ve been able to expand to Phillipstown," said Putnam County Executive Kevin Byrne. "I’m grateful to our partners in Phillipstown for agreeing to join this innovative program and hope the individuals who go through the program gain valuable insight into the consequences of their actions."

For more information, please contact the Putnam County Youth Bureau at: (845) 808-1600 or youthcourt@putnamcountyny.gov.