Presentation
to the East Hamilton Kiwanas Club
A comparison of teen driver deaths annually to the alleged total deaths
attributable to Bridgestone/Firestone tires
|
Canada 1999 |
US 1999 |
Firestone 1991 - 2000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
Age
|
Fatalities |
Serious Injuries |
|||
|
Drivers |
Passengers |
Drivers |
Passengers |
||
|
0 - 4 |
0.0 |
3.3 |
0.0 |
4.2 |
|
|
5 - 14 |
0.1 |
8.8 |
0.4 |
11.2 |
|
|
15 - 19 |
11.5 |
20.4 |
11.4 |
19.8 |
|
|
20 - 24 |
14.3 |
10.7 |
15.1 |
13.2 |
|
|
25 - 34 |
19.4 |
11.5 |
21.7 |
14.2 |
|
|
35 - 44 |
16.2 |
15.3 |
20.4 |
10.2 |
|
|
45 - 54 |
12.9 |
8.7 |
14.3 |
8.2 |
|
|
55 - 64 |
9.6 |
6.0 |
7.1 |
6.1 |
|
|
NL 65 |
16.0 |
14.7 |
9.2 |
9.3 |
|
|
Not Stated |
0.0 |
0.6 |
0.4 |
3.6 |
|
|
Total |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Teen passengers at greater risk with the number of passengers on board.
The I Promise Program is an injury prevention initiative designed to reduce injury and death attributable to teen drivers. The program relies on families (parents and teens) and communities. The particulars include a parent-teen contract and a mechanism to enable community reports of driver behaviour.
Parent(s) and teen sit down, read through and complete a simple document that engages them in discussion and planning for driving. The contract process facilitates parent-teen communication on issues related to driver behaviour, expectations and responsibilities. It reinforces the parent-teen relationship, family authority structure and parental guidance to foster teen growth and maturation. The process validates the adolescent ritual of coming of age by learning to drive through setting out mutual concerns, needs and responsibilities with respect to driving privileges. Teens signal their maturity by engaging and accepting a process designed with their safety and security in mind.
Community participation is enabled by a rear-window decal that is affixed to the car. The decal is lettered with a toll-free phone number and a message that encourages the reporting of driver behaviour. Community phone calls are taken by a call-center and reports are communicated to the parent (only) for the purpose of follow-up with the driver as established by the date and time of the report, in accordance with pre-determined outcomes as set out in the parent-teen contract. The rear-window decal serves as an on-going reminder to the driver of social responsibilities as they are driving.
Gary
Direnfeld
(905) 628-4847
direnfel@spectranet.ca