When 15 Tazewell County teenagers died in traffic accidents in a 16-month period in 2005 and 2006, community leaders and government officials didn't just wring their hands.

They rolled up their sleeves and got to work looking for ways to reverse the trend.

And they succeeded.

After that terrible string of tragedies, there have been no teens killed in highway crashes in Tazewell County in the past year. But despite a well-deserved sigh of relief, no one can let up.

As new teens get drivers' licenses, lessons of the past can be quickly forgotten. Tazewell officials must continue their good work, and other communities should study what worked.

Among those looking at Tazewell County's success is the Illinois Department of Transportation. The state agency is developing a statewide driver safety initiative.

But it may be difficult on a statewide level to pull off what Tazewell County did - bringing together educators, police, prosecutors, parents and the teens themselves.

The grassroots nature of the Tazewell County project contributed to its success. The messages were tailored to the community and delivered from the heart.

The latter was especially true of Randy and Cathy Waddell, who spoke at dozens of schools about the death of their daughter in a traffic accident in September 2005.

Give credit to the teens of Tazewell, too.

Representatives from each school in the county served on a youth board that helped suggest and plan safety-related activities.

Although the cluster of fatalities in Tazewell County triggered justifiable attention, the risk is not limited to that county.

Each year, more than 5,000 teenagers die on America's roads. Traffic accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers.

According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, although teens are roughly 10 percent of the U.S. population, they represent 12 percent of motor vehicle crash fatalities - and the first year of driving carries the highest risk for having an accident.

The latter statistic has helped fuel the graduated license program in Illinois, in hopes that the restrictions can help teenagers gain more experience before finding themselves in dangerous situations.

States such as Illinois with comprehensive graduated license programs have seen reductions in teen accident rates.

These laws, combined with enforcement and education efforts such as the ones seen in Tazewell County, can help keep our teens safe on the road.