POQUOSON – Poquoson High School was recognized as the Youth of Virginia Speak Out About Traffic Safety (YOVASO) Club of the Year during the organization’s annual awards banquet July 19 at James Madison University. YOVASO is a peer-to-peer teen driver safety education and prevention program.
The award was among 23 honors presented to students, schools, youth groups, teachers, community partners and law enforcement agencies across Virginia for their efforts to promote teen driver and passenger safety during the school year.
The program recognized Poquoson High School for its peer-led traffic safety programming, including student leadership, community outreach and schoolwide engagement.
The Club of the Year award recognizes member clubs that demonstrate best practices in youth traffic safety programs and show excellence in club development, programming and outreach.
The banquet featured a keynote address from Lt. Col. Todd Taylor, director of the Bureau of Field Operations for the Virginia State Police.
Taylor highlighted the work of students, advisors, law enforcement officers and community partners involved with the program. Since the program’s creation in 2001, Virginia has seen a 47% reduction in crash fatalities among drivers and passengers ages 15 to 20, according to YOVASO.
The program is part of the Virginia State Police and is funded through a grant from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.
