How CHOP is making sure your teen is ready
Honking horns, sirens, bikers, pedestrians, double parkers, parallel parking, and the HORNS! Driving in Philadelphia can leave even experienced and skilled drivers feeling nervous, frustrated, and sometimes scared. How will you know when your 16-year-old is ready to get behind the wheel? Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has you covered.
CHOP just announced a partnership with NJM Insurance Group. The collaboration is aimed at preparing teenagers to drive safely with a state-of-the-art virtual driving assessment system (VDAS). A $4 million grant from MJM is making it possible.
“This program is the first-of-its-kind in the world and will be an exciting opportunity for novice drivers to participate in engaging, interactive virtual driving and assessment in preparation for safe driving,” said Dr. Flaura Winston, founder and Scientific Director of the Center for Injury Research and Prevention at CHOP. “Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of adolescent mortality in the United States. With the support of NJM in this critical project, we can advance safety for novice teenage drivers and help reshape pediatric care for our teenage patients.”
The implementation of the VDAS program is a collaboration among CHOP Care Network Operations, CIRP, and The Possibilities Project at CHOP. Co-led by Dr. Lisa Biggs, Associate Chief Medical Officer at CHOP, and Dr. Alex Fiks, Director of the Center for Clinical Pediatric Clinical Effectiveness at CHOP, The Possibilities Project is re-imagining the way CHOP delivers primary care.
“This new collaboration is taking medicine beyond its traditional walls to improve teen health with a focus on driving,” said Dr. Biggs. “Our adolescent patients and their families turn to us for all other areas of health and wellness. With the virtual driving assessment, we can help them to successfully and safely navigate through early driving.”
VDAS is available at select CHOP Primary Care locations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The program will be fully implemented at most CHOP Care Network sites over the next four years.
Of course, PhillyTweens is going to check it out. Stay tuned!
Buckle up! This is the first in a series of special reports on teen driving.
Jackie Gailey Raible
Editor & CEO
