State of Florida Teen Safe Driving Coalition Charter

Vision

The vision of the Florida Teen Safe Driving Coalition (FTSDC) is to support and expand a culture of teen safe driving.

Mission

The mission of the FTSDC is to engage, educate and mobilize all members of the community to work collectively on developing and improving teen safe driving programs, practices and activities that reduce teen fatalities and serious injuries in Florida.

Purpose

The FTSDC supports the engagement, education, and mobilization of members in the community to work collectively on developing and improving teen safe driving programs, practices, and activities and thereby save lives in Florida. The FTSDC pursues the recommendations of assessments done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as well as the objectives established by the Florida Strategic Highway Safety Plan.

Membership

The coalition is comprised of individuals who have expertise and familiarity with Florida-specific teen safe driving related programs, infrastructure, and needs. Coalition members represent agencies and organizations at the national, state, and local level, law enforcement, highway safety advocacy groups, educators, and public health officials.

FTSDC membership is on a voluntary basis, and members receive no compensation for services. All coalition members must be approved by the Florida Department of Transportation State Safety Office (FDOT) and the agency supporting the coalition subgrant.

All potential coalition members will be asked to complete a coalition application prior to membership status being considered. An application submission does not guarantee coalition membership.

FDOT will review membership applications and may approve membership based on individual qualifications, benefit, and to fill gaps in overall coalition representation.

Coalition members serve at the pleasure of FDOT and the agency supporting the coalition subgrant. Members may be dismissed and have their membership status revoked at any time with or without cause by either FDOT or the agency supporting the coalition sub-grant.

Continued membership on the coalition will be based on:

• Attendance and active participation at a majority of the coalition meetings each year unless a designee has been identified or the absence is excused by FDOT.
• Active participation in any assigned FTSDC subgroup(s).

Governance of the FTSDC

FDOT oversees the coalition and sub-grant activities.

The FTSDC will meet at least three times a year.  The year shall be the same as the federal fiscal year beginning October 1 and ending September 30.

FDOT will appoint a chair and vice chair from its membership based on representatives’ ability and time commitments needed to drive down teen driving-related fatalities in Florida. The vice chair will serve as chair in the chair’s absence. FDOT will appoint another chair or vice chair from its membership when the current chair or vice chair are unable to continue serving, or can no longer fulfill their duties.

Subgroups

The FTSDC can create subgroups or technical task teams to perform the work of the coalition which can include representatives from any relevant entity that has an interest in or knowledge of teen safe driving issues. The chair of a technical task team must be a member of the FTSDC. Technical task teams can meet as often as needed to perform the work assigned.