The city of San Antonio, Texas is introducing a new program to push teen drivers towards better driving safety practices. The program, called Drive SAfely SA Resource and Education Center, is spearheaded by the Municipal Court and Transportation Department. The program is particularly aimed at reducing the amount of unlicensed teen drivers who are behind the wheel and on the streets of San Antonio, something that has been increasingly more common in the city. The amount of unlicensed drivers in the city has not gone unnoticed by officials, as they are often being caught and issued citations.

According to data trackers, the number of citations has grown tenfold, which inspired the agencies to stand up and take action.

The program will require those who receive citations for driving as an unlicensed teenager, or simply those who seek to learn more about young driver safety, to participate in activities promoting better driving practices. The Drive SAfely SA Resource and Education Center will emphasis the legality behind driving with a license in order to promote teens to properly obtain their licenses to reduce the amount of illegal driving activities. The program will have direct routes and access laid out for the youth to go through the proper channels to be licensed.

According to Presiding Judge Carla Obledo, who presides over the San Antonio Municipal Court, the center will include online courses focused on driving and driving laws that have been approved by the Texas Department of Public Safety, marking it as a proper legal source for teens. Additionally, it seems as though they have plans to even implement a collaboration with the Department of Motor Vehicles in order to offer license testing right in the main building for the program, truly making it a one stop shop.

The program contributes to the city’s long term plans of eliminating traffic related deaths and accidents entirely.

The courses offered by the program will cover a wide array of driving topics, with some being more interactive than others. Two of the confirmed topics are defensive maneuvers and distracted and impaired driving dangers. They will also gear work towards reducing the amount of phone use for young drivers and promoting sober driving as well.