Program keeps tabs on teens
By Andrew Seymour --
The next time that car full of teenage boys in mom's car swerves in front
of you on a busy highway, a message to the driver's parents might just be a
cellphone call away.
The popular stickers with 1-800 numbers that appear on the back doors of
18-wheelers and delivery vans to keep tabs on truckers are now finding their
way onto family cars used by teenage drivers.
The "I Promise" program officially launches in
DRIVING CONTRACT
"I have yet to meet a parent who doesn't want their child to come
home safely every time they take the family car," says program founder
Direnfeld says the program isn't meant to solely target the teenager,
instead relying on a mutually responsible driving contract between parent and
child.
The contract not only deals with major issues like drinking and driving
and seatbelt use, but also addresses situations like how fast teens are allowed
to drive and the number of passengers they can have.
Parents are then expected to take responsibility for keeping the car in
safe working condition as well as abiding by some of the same contractual
obligations as their son or daughter.
More importantly, Direnfeld says, the contract gets parents and children
talking about what it takes to be a safe and responsible driver.
Callers reporting a car with a sticker will reach a call centre, where
they will be asked to leave the licence number, date, location and type of
driving infraction.
The call centre processes the complaint, sending a report to the car owner
who can deal with it.
"The report only goes to the family. It doesn't go to the police, it
doesn't go to the insurance company," says Direnfeld.
BAD HABITS
Direnfeld says he came up with the idea last year after a teenage driver
cut him off on a southern
"Once I regained my composure, I thought about how much I'd like to
tell his parents," says Direnfeld, who is also the father of a 17-year-old
son.
In addition to being a dad to a teenage driver, Direnfeld also knows firsthand
the damage that car accidents can cause to young teenage lives. He's spent his
career as a social worker dealing with people rehabilitating from brain
injuries.
"It's kind of a misperception that teenagers are bad drivers,"
says Parent. "The only reason they are bad is because they're being
trained in bad habits by their parents."
Parent says he'll often see parents with teenagers speeding through 40
km/h school zones at more than 60 km/h. Teenagers then see this as acceptable
behaviour and then drive even faster through these slow-speed zones.
"Kids always think they can do things faster," says Parent.
"We want to change their attitudes before they get into the car."
HELP POLICE
Parent is also hoping the sticker will free police resources currently
tied up following phone complaints, allowing officers to spend more time
staffing speed traps and catching red-light runners.
Direct ordering the program over the Internet costs $49, although the
Dominion of Canada Insurance Co. will offer the program at a reduced rate to
their customers in late January.
You can learn more at www.ipromiseprogram.com.