11 suburban high schools win teen driving contest

Eleven suburban high schools are among 35 Illinois schools that have been honored as winners in the 2011 Operation Teen Safe Driving program. They developed programs to educate their peers on unsafe driving practices.

State officials are also announcing a significant decrease in teen fatalities in automobile accidents since the idea began in 2007.

The 35 high schools have been chosen to participate later this month in Ford Motor Co. Fund's "Driving Skills for Life, Ride and Drive" events. Professional drivers will show young drivers skills such as hazard recognition, accident avoidance, vehicle handling and speed management.

Five winning schools from each of seven regions will receive $500 to $2,500 prizes to host post-prom events.

Hosts are Gov. Pat Quinn's administration, the Illinois secretary of state, Ford Motor Co. Fund and The Allstate Foundation.

School in the suburbs who won are:

William Fremd High School in Palatine, Crystal Lake Central High School in Crystal Lake, McHenry East High School in McHenry, Dundee-Crown High School in Carpentersville, Glenbard East High School in

Lombard, Vernon Hills High School in Vernon Hills, John Hersey High School in Arlington Heights, Glenbard West High School in Glen Ellyn, Glenbard South High School in Glen Ellyn and Jacobs High School in Algonquin and Johnsburg High School in Johnsburg.