Research confirms that Graduated Driver License laws (GDL) reduce teen crashes.

First Impact, a program offered by ThinkFirst Missouri, is a traffic safety program that educates parents about Missouri’s Graduated Driver License (GDL) law as well as provides them with the tools they need to monitor, coach and support their new teen driver.

Missouri GDL law is a three-step licensing system. The purpose is to ease teens into licensure so that they can build skill in an environment that minimizes those things that are shown to cause the greatest risk for new drivers.

Research confirms that GDL laws have been instrumental in reducing teen crashes by 20 percent to 40 percent.

First Impact offers a FREE 90-minute evidence-based traffic safety program that educates parents and teen drivers about Missouri’s GDL law. The goal of First Impact is to reduce the number of motor vehicle fatalities, injuries and crashes among teen drivers by increasing parental awareness and enforcement of Missouri’s GDL law.

Objectives of the program are to increase:

  • Awareness of teen driving risks
  • Understanding of Missouri’s GDL law
  • GDL monitoring and enforcement at home
  • Importance of being a positive role model

The program is delivered by trained Law Enforcement Officers and Facilitators who coach parents by presenting key facts and proven strategies to help parents lower their teens’ crash risk by utilizing the Missouri GDL law. 

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First Impact

First Impact is a traffic safety program that educates parents about Missouri's GDL law. Meet our speakers.

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Parents

Parental involvement is the key to teen driving safety. Learn what you can do.

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The time to prepare your teen to drive and survive is now! Find a Parent Program near you.

Paige's Story

Every day between 3:30 and 4:00 in the afternoon, Marty Siddall would call his 17-year-old daughter, Paige, to see how her day went, what her plans were for the evening and so on. On November 1, 2006, while on a golfing trip in Florida, he did the usual check-in around 4:45 his time, 3:45 her time, and got her voicemail.

One time zone over, Paige, who was driving to work, got distracted, lost control of her car, struck a mailbox and overcorrected and rebounded into the path of an oncoming car.

In a matter of seconds, Paige lost her life.

Her brother Parker, 15 at the time, and her boyfriend happened to be close behind and were one of the first cars on the scene, although a neighbor had already called 911. To this day, Parker still doesn’t talk about what he saw.

“That’s a silly, naïve thought, that it can’t happen to you.” – Marty Siddall

Marty and his daughter had a wonderful relationship. She was smart and kind, loved volunteering and helping others. Marty jokingly describes her as his “little hippie” and doesn’t ever remember her using the word hate. A good student, Paige was set to go to the University of Missouri’s Journalism School, but had dreams of studying her masters in New York.

Yet, with one distraction, one glance away from the road, all that changed.

Testimonials

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First Impact is a ThinkFirst Missouri program.
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

University of Missouri School of Medicine
1 Hospital Drive
DC046.0
Columbia, MO 65212

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