The San Dieguito Alliance for Drug Free Youth sponsored Smart Start classes at the all four high schools in the The San Dieguito Union High School District. The district requires all students and their parents/guardians to attend a Start Smart Driving Safety class in order to obtain a school parking permit. The class, taught by San Diego County Sheriffs, provides an opportunity for teens and their parents/guardians to discuss the serious laws, responsibilities and family expectations that are part of driving a car. In the 2016-17 school year, there were 3410 parents and students who attended the classes.

The Start Smart Program is an opportunity for new drivers and their parents/guardians to clearly understand their responsibilities when a teen starts to drive. Taught by trained law enforcement personnel, it creates awareness of possible consequences, both financial and physical, of distracted or impaired driving, and provides applicable information about collision prevention. The class also clarifies the restrictions of the Provisional License Law and touches on social host ordinances. The often-graphic videos and daunting statistics provide a powerful reality check that lingers long after the classroom instruction.

Following the two-hour class, each teen is presented a certificate of completion along with a custom-designed key-chain bearing the theme of the Teen Safe Driving Program, which will serve as a reminder each time he or she starts the car. This is a concerted effort intended to reduce the risks associated with teen driving.