On page one of this issue, readers will notice part one of a series of stories that investigates a big problem in our nation, state, and also here in Butler County. The issue is that of teen driving, and there is a lot to discuss.

This series of stories is not meant to point fingers at any one teen driver, but is meant to raise awareness of one simple fact: traffic accidents have become the number one killer of young people in America, and a number of states, including Alabama, have begun to take steps to save these young lives.

Over the course of the next four weeks, we will be speaking with law enforcement officials, driver training instructors, insurance agents, and of course parents, to try to gain some understanding of this problem and to pass that information on to our readers.

We encourage as much input from the community as possible from the community, and we want to hear your stories. Once again, we know there are young drivers out there who act responsibly behind the wheel, but we also know there are those who don't and the combination of youthful exuberance and today's powerful automobiles can be deadly.

We hope the community can learn something from this informative series, and if it serves to make one parent get involved, or cause one young driver to slow down and act more responsibly, then we feel the project has been worth the effort.