(SMITHFIELD) -- More than 30 teenagers have died in vehicle accidents on the roads of Johnston County since 2006.  On January 14, 2011, 18 year old Kyle Kozlowski was killed when his truck crashed off of Loop Road.  Investigators estimate Kozlowski, who was a  senior at Clayton High School, was driving 70 miles per hour in a 45 mile per hour zone at the time, and they say he was not wearing a seat belt.
Most recently, on January 20, 2011, 17 year old Christopher Hayden Peedin of Selma died when, according to North Carolina Highway Patrol, his vehicle left the road at a high rate of speed and hit a tree. Peedin was senior at North Johnston High School and a junior firefighter with the Pine Level Fire Department.

On Thursday it was announced that Johnston County is getting a $20,000 grant from the Governor's Highway Safety Program to help stop what's being called an epidemic of teens being killed on the roads.  The program, "Teens in the Driver's Seat," is based on a successful program currently being run in Texas.  Don Nail, assistant director of the Governor's program, said, "we look forward to what this program has to offer Johnston County students, and the impact it will have in reducing the number of teen related crashes and fatalities."

Johnston County Sheriff Steve Bizzell says not only teens, but parents have to step up and stress that their kids have to practice safety when they get behind the wheel.  He says taking responsibility when you get into a car is the first step, "these kids have got to realize they have a personal accountability of obeying the law, wearing a seatbelt, slowing down and living."

The Johnston County Sheriff announced he is also planning to step up enforcement with more deputies and some new vehicles on the roads to catch speeders and dangerous drivers.