CFAES Give Today
OSU Extension

College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences

CFAES

4-H CARTEENS is a traffic safety program conducted by 4-H teen leaders and their program partners for juvenile traffic offenders. 4-H CARTEENS goals include:

  •     reducing the number of repeat juvenile traffic offenders,
  •     decreasing the number of teen traffic offenders, and
  •     increasing teen awareness of traffic/vehicular safety.

4-H CARTEENS Background
Ohio State University faculty and staff located in county Extension offices recruit and engage adult volunteers and teen leaders who provide leadership to educational programs for youth in local communities. Over the years, county needs assessments conducted by OSU Extension have repeatedly identified teen vehicular safety as a priority need in Ohio’s communities.

The 4-H CARTEENS vehicular safety initiative was developed in response to this need. The original CARTEENS Program began in Brown County, Ohio in 1987. The local 4-H educator, volunteer teen leaders, the juvenile probate court, and the Ohio Highway Patrol all collaborated to develop the program. Since 1987, the 4-H CARTEENS program has expanded throughout Ohio and to several other states across the nation.

About Licking County CARTEENS:

The Licking County 4-H CARTEENS program is a traffic safety program for first-time juvenile traffic offenders. In partnership with the Licking County Probate Court-Juvenile Division and local law enforcement, a monthly two-hour traffic safety education program is facilitated by 4-H teen members. The CARTEENS introduce guest speakers, lead group-learning activities focused on traffic safety and provide overall coordination of the session. A Juvenile Court representative and officer from the Heath Police Department provide materials resources and serve as guest speakers.

The 4-H CARTEENS program began in Licking County in 1996. Over the past 20 years, more than 8500 juvenile traffice offenders have participated in CARTEENS. The program is offered the first Thursday of each month, with an average attendance of 35 students at each session.

The CAR in CARTEENS stands for Caution And Responsibility, which is one of the objectives of the teen teachers. The program includes the following topics: drinking and driving, seat belt safety, insurance rates, peer pressure, safe driving tips, defensive driving and the consequences of unsafe driving. The program format utilizes visuals, videos, guest speakers, group discussions, statistics and an evaluation.

The 4-H CARTEENS Program Benefits the Community in several ways:

  • Assists in reducing the number of second-time traffic offenders
  • Develops leadership and public speaking skills in 4-H CARTEENS members who conduct the program
  • Establishes network between juvenile court, law enforcement officials and the Ohio State University Extension 4-H Youth Development program
  • Increases community awareness of the effects of drinking and driving
  • Develops leadership and public speaking skills in 4-H CARTEENS members who conduct the program
  • Establishes network between juvenile court, law enforcement officials and the Ohio State University Extension 4-H Youth Development program
  • Increases community awareness of the effects of drinking and driving
Become a CARTEENS Facilitator:

If you would like to help educate your peers about traffic safety, improve your public speaking and presentation skills and want a great way to help your community, consider becoming a 4-H CARTEENS facilitator. Teens who are at least 15 years old and can commit to volunteering for three hours each month are welcome to learn more about becoming apart of CARTEENS. For more information, contact Adrienne Anderson at 740-670-5315 or email her at: anderson.1410@osu.edu

For more information about Ohio 4-H CARTEENS , visit http://www.ohio4h.org/families/just-teens/carteens .