Man works to tame teen drivers
'I
promise' idea was driven by statistics
Erik Martensson
Mercury Staff
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ELORA --
"If a teen
dies in
He said
government statistics show 387 teen drivers were killed
and 30,000 injured in automobile accidents in
Those statistics,
added Direnfeld, don't take into account passengers.
"For every
teen driver that dies in a teen driver car crash, statistically a passenger
dies too. It's almost one to one."
Appalled and
frightened by the statistics, Direnfeld created the I Promise Program about two
years ago.
It sees parents
and teens sign a safe driving contract and make promises regarding behaviour,
penalties and rewards when it comes to driving.
A rear window
"Am I Driving Safely?" decal displaying a toll-free 1-800 number is
also placed on the vehicle so other drivers can call and comment on the teen's driving. The comments are then
mailed to parents.
"I started
the program because I'm the parent of a teen driver. And I know teens,"
said Direnfeld, who often works with teens who have suffered brain injuries.
"And I
didn't want my son to be my patient."
Fittingly, the
concept came to Direnfeld while he was behind the wheel.
Cut off by a teen
driver in a sports car, Direnfeld said his initial reaction was anger.
Shortly after the
teen passed him, Direnfeld saw a "How's My Driving?" decal and
toll-free number on the back of a truck.
The wheels
immediately started turning, he said.
It wasn't long before Direnfeld started putting together the
program.
So far 175 teens
have been signed up It costs just under $50 a year.
"In the last
year we've only had one call to our call centre. It was from
It's exactly what Direnfeld wants.
"Our goal is
not to catch them, it's to protect them. Our goal is to make them better, safer
drivers."
The Centre
Wellington Community Oriented Policing Committee brought Direnfeld to Elora this week to speak to local insurance brokers.
"We feel
that his program could be of great benefit to the young drivers of Centre
Wellington," said committee member and former police officer Dan Wright.
"It may help save some of their lives."
Direnfeld is
asking the insurance industry to convince parents to get on
board. So far he's swayed one company to offer
discounts for those who take part.
Mike Wainwright
of Rafferty Insurance Brokers said he believes the concept has merit.
"If it can
produce the results of the initial group in a broader group, then it sounds
like it could be very positive."
More information
is available at www.ipromiseprogram.com.
I Promise Program
20
(905) 628-4847
gary123@sympatico.ca
www.ipromiseprogram.com