Phoenix – The Arizona Chapter National Safety Council (ACNSC) is expanding Alive at 25, a four-hour, in-classroom driver safety program developed specifically for teens and young adults. This summer, the Tolleson Union High School District (TUHSD) offered the course at seven of its campuses as part of its summer camp programming.
The expansion comes at a time when teen crash risks remain alarmingly high. According to the CDC, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens. Crash rates for teens ages 16 to 19 are nearly three times higher per mile driven than those of drivers 20 and older. In Arizona, nearly 600 young drivers between the ages of 15 and 24 were killed in crashes from 2020 to 2024, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.
Equipping Young Drivers with Real-World Safety Skills
Built specifically for drivers ages 15 to 24, Alive at 25 doesn’t teach the mechanics of driving. Instead, it focuses on the real-world challenges young drivers face: peer pressure, distractions like cell phones, risky decision-making, and inexperience. Designed to complement traditional driver’s education programs, the course uses videos, interactive activities, and local crash data to make the content relevant. It also covers Arizona-specific laws on seatbelt use, texting while driving, speeding, and impaired driving.
“The interaction with the kids was eye-opening,” said John Carvalho, ACNSC director of strategic relationships and an Alive at 25 instructor at TUHSD this summer. “Their questions, their insights, the way they think about driving — it’s exactly why programs like this matter.”
Why Tolleson Took Action
TUHSD’s Copper Canyon High School had previously participated in Alive at 25 through a partnership with the City of Glendale. After seeing promising results, district leaders expanded the program to all campuses for the summer.
“At TUHSD our values are reflected through our S.E.R.V.I.C.E., with Safety as the primary value of the acronym,” said TUHSD Superintendent Jeremy Calles. “Our partnership with Alive at 25 helps our students stay safe on the road both now and as they leave us as graduates.”
Nearly 80 students participated in the summer sessions. However, the program’s future with TUHSD is uncertain, as it relies on federal funding through the district’s 21st Century Community Learning Center Programs—an initiative that supports Alive at 25 and other after-school learning opportunities.
A Proven Model in Glendale
Glendale became the first Arizona city to launch Alive at 25, in 2022, and now offers the program at no cost to students enrolled in the city’s nine high schools. Since then, the city has reported a 70% decrease in pedestrian fatalities and a 30% decrease in crash-related deaths. While those improvements also reflect infrastructure upgrades, such as bike lanes and retimed signals, city officials believe education has played a key role.
“The students who have participated in the program have reported it was highly informative and engaging,” said Cassandra Johnston, Glendale’s traffic education program manager. “The course has been an excellent complement to students’ standard driver education programs.”
Bring Alive at 25 to Your School or District
ACNSC is working to expand Alive at 25 to more schools and districts across Arizona. The course is delivered with minimal disruption to the school day and is taught by experienced safety professionals and local instructors.
Parents and community members can help bring Alive at 25 to more students by encouraging their school principal or district leadership to consider offering the program.
To explore a partnership, school leaders and administrators can contact John Carvalho, Director of Strategic Relationships, at jcarvalho@acnsc.org or 602-264-2394.