TUCKER, GA. – Before the 2nd Annual Youth Safe Driving Summit officially opened Saturday morning, Chassidy Blackshear was already there with her 14-year-old daughter and her daughter’s best friend, ready to learn.

Like many parents preparing for the day their teenagers get behind the wheel, Blackshear admitted she is not quite ready.

But after watching the girls participate in the Summit’s activities, she said the experience helped.

“They had a chance to see how to drive, what actually can happen to them if they were in a car wreck, what hands and feet to use while they’re driving,” Blackshear said. She also appreciated the practical information available for families, including learning what adding a teen driver could mean for insurance costs.

The teens were learning too.

One of the girls said she discovered something as basic, but important, as proper foot placement while driving.

“I learned some new things. I didn’t know I was only supposed to use my right foot for the pedals, so I won’t get it mixed up in the future,” she said.

Her friend said she felt more prepared to drive after participating in the activities, but also realized she still had more to learn after experiencing a simulated driving scenario involving an approaching ambulance.

“I am, but I think I need a little bit more time,” she said when asked if she was ready to hit the road.

That combination of education, hands-on experience and honest conversation was at the heart of the DeKalb County Solicitor-General’s Office’s 2nd Annual Youth Safe Driving Summit, held Saturday, October 3, at Rehoboth Church in Tucker.

Approximately 250 people attended this year’s event, which featured about 28 vendors and community organizations offering resources for young drivers and their families.

DeKalb County Solicitor-General Donna Coleman-Stribling welcomed returning families and first-time participants, thanking community partners for bringing their expertise, programs and resources directly to young people.

“Every time you get behind the wheel, you’re making a decision, a decision that not only affects you, but it affects everyone,” Coleman-Stribling told attendees.

A major focus of this year’s Summit was the danger of illegal street racing, street takeovers and other reckless driving behaviors.

The Solicitor pointed out that while preparing the Rehoboth parking lot for the event, organizers could see circular tire marks left behind by vehicles performing dangerous maneuvers commonly known as “donuts.”

“Street racing and doing donuts is not just illegal, it’s dangerous, and there are consequences,” she said. “What may begin as a few seconds of excitement or trying to impress your friends can end very differently.”

The message was reinforced by law enforcement professionals who have seen firsthand how dangerous decisions behind the wheel can change lives.

Sgt. Howard Jenkins of the DeKalb County Police Athletic League, or PAL, shared his experience as a 25-year law enforcement veteran and encouraged parents to have candid conversations with their children about speeding, racing, and distracted driving.

Jenkins recalled the difficult responsibility of notifying families after fatal crashes involving young people.

He challenged parents to talk with their teens about the consequences of those choices before they ever face them on the road.

Sgt. Andrew Fincher of the Atlanta Police Department’s Auto Crimes Enforcement Unit spoke to the crowd about his unit’s work addressing illegal street takeovers and reckless driving.

“Please, please, please don’t do it for the likes,” Fincher told young attendees, warning that social media attention is never worth risking a life. He encouraged young car enthusiasts who enjoy speed and performance driving to take that interest to legal, controlled environments such as closed courses and drag strips.

The Summit also focused heavily on distracted driving.

Tucker Mayor Ann Lerner encouraged teens and adults alike to put down their phones and concentrate on driving, while reminding parents that their children are watching the examples they set.

“When you’re driving, just concentrate on driving,” Lerner said. “Understand how important you are to everybody around you, and we don’t want to see you get hurt.”

DeKalb County Commission Chair Chakira Johnson said the Summit aligned closely with District 4’s focus on youth development.

“This is such a great and important event for our community,” Johnson said. “One of our focus areas in District 4 is youth development, so this plays right into what we want to do for our community, trying to make sure that the youth and their parents understand what it means to be a safe driver, drive less distracted.”

Rehoboth Church Pastor JD Bush welcomed participants and praised the community partnership behind the event saying, “this is an awesome event, great turnout, really awesome team who has put this together.”

Throughout the day, attendees were encouraged to do more than simply listen. Adult Big Wheel returned for a second year with a hands-on course designed to teach young drivers vehicle awareness, including judging the width of a vehicle, using mirrors, recognizing signs and paying attention to their surroundings.

Driving education professionals from Taggart’s Driving School and Nathan’s Driving School also provided information for families preparing for the licensing process. Taggart’s shared information about Georgia’s Driver Education Commission Scholarship Program, which can help eligible families cover the cost of required driver education.

Representatives from law enforcement agencies, county offices, driving schools, youth organizations and other community partners filled the Rehoboth grounds with resources designed to help young people become safer and more responsible drivers.

For Coleman-Stribling, the strong turnout and broad community participation underscored the reason the Summit was created. “Our community partners came out today to support our children,” she said. “They always want to recognize how important it is to give them the tools and the resources to be safe drivers.”

And for families like Blackshear’s, those lessons became real before the teenagers ever pulled onto the road.

The 2nd Annual Youth Safe Driving Summit is part of the DeKalb County Solicitor-General’s Office’s ongoing commitment to community education, prevention, and youth engagement.