Having an impact on teen drivers
They drive too fast. They take unnecessary risks. They are easily distracted. They are inexperienced, but we love them anyway. What can we do for teen drivers to be a positive force in their lives? What resources are available to teach these young drivers some important lessons about driving during their critical years on the road?
Statistics show that motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for 16 to 19 year-olds with the accidents and fatalities statistics spiking at aged 18, accounting for 40 percent of all teen deaths. The Impact Teen Drivers Fund was created as a nonprofit awareness and education program to bring attention to teen driving behaviors and choices. The idea for the Impact campaign came about through a partnership that includes educators, the California Association of Highway Patrolmen, California Teachers Association and California Casualty, among others. They offer a plethora of helpful resources to parents and teachers, including downloadable posters, articles, DVDs and lesson plans.
Included in lesson packets is the accident probability wheel, which calculates how certain everyday activities affect a teen driver’s chances of being in an accident while behind the wheel. Using DMV and California Highway Patrol statistics, the wheel’s three concentric circles can be spun to variables on the chart that display a corresponding percentage of likelihood for accidents due to distraction. For instance, lining up “text messaging” with “adjusting hair and make-up” with “three passengers in your car” will produce a certain percentage of risk toward an accident.
“What do you consider lethal?” posters encourage teens to see the correlation between clearly lethal agents — like cobras, floods, cancer, guns — and activities that are seemingly harmless — like texting, eating and applying make-up. The word puzzles demonstrate how otherwise harmless acts can become deadly when mixed with driving a vehicle.
As a parent, the material and statistics available on these websites provide a potential springboard for very important and healthy conversations about safe driving practices, but it is important to point out the most affective teaching tool which is positive modeling, meaning walking the walk and talking the talk. If you don’t want to raise a distracted driver in your family, you can not do the things that are called out in this material, that is – talking on the phone, eating, putting on makeup, et al. It’s that hard and it’s that simple.
I have found online articles siting weekend Smart Start workshops by local California Highway Patrol offices which are free driver safety programs geared for the 15-19 year old crowd. I am trying to get in touch with the CHP’s office to find out when and where these classes may be held in the coming months. I will follow up with information when it becomes available to me.
Sited and Related Links:
ImpactTeenDrivers.Org
California Teachers Association
California Highway Patrol | Start Smart Program
SignonSanDiego.Com | CHP to offer free class…
