The New Lenox Safe Community Coalition will host a free virtual presentation, “ThinkFirst: For Parents of Teen Drivers,” from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday.

The program is held in partnership with ThinkFirst and the National Injury Prevention Foundation.

This 60-minute, evidence-based program is designed to help parents better understand teen driving risks and learn practical strategies to support and guide new drivers, according to a news release from the Safe Community Coalition.

The presentation will focus on the importance of parental involvement and provide an overview of Illinois’ Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) laws, which are designed to reduce crashes among inexperienced drivers.

Participants will learn how to recognize “common risks associated with teen drivers, monitor and coach safe driving habits, and serve as positive role models,” according to the release.

The program also emphasizes that earning a driver’s license is just the beginning of a teen’s driving experience, and continued parental guidance is important.

The session will be led by Michelle Larsen of the ThinkFirst National Injury Prevention Foundation. Larsen is an Illinois state certified driving instructor and a National Safety Council instructor who teaches Alive@25 and defensive driving courses.

She also works with Doug Herbert’s B.R.A.K.E.S. program, providing advanced driver safety education for teens and parents nationwide.

Registration is required and can be completed online at: https://tinyurl.com/ParentsOfTeenDrivers

For additional information, contact Megan Applegate, Safe Community Coordinator, at scc@newlenox.net or 815-462-6427.