Safe-vehicle focus falls on child seats, teen drivers
The Virginian-Pilot
© May 30, 2002
SAFE DRIVING WEEK
All you driving
vagabonds, this is your week to get on the side of the angels.
It's Safe Driving
Week beginning Sunday through June 8. Traffic safety types couldn't pick a
better time, as summer is the season with the most fatalities. Of 37,409
nationwide traffic fatalities in 2000, 10,186 came during June, July and
August.
The focus this year
is on teen driving and child safety seats.
Car crashes remain
the leading cause of permanent injury and death for teens. In 1999, 76 percent
of all deaths among 16- to 20-year-olds caused by unintentional injuries were
from car crashes.
An innovative
approach to reeling in your teen drivers is the ``I Promise Program.'' It
involves a parent-teen safe-driving contract, a rear-window decal and community
feedback. The decal has a toll-free number on it, and people are encouraged to
call if they see bad driving. Reports are mailed to
parents.
Go to www.ipromiseprogram.com for more
information.
Other talking
points with teens:
- No late night driving.
Many teen crashes are between 1 and
- The more teen
passengers in the car, the more likely a crash. Again, the law addresses
this for the under-18 crowd: Only one non-family passenger permitted until
17; no more than three non-family passengers from 17 to 18.
- Speeding causes more
crashes than alcohol.
Regarding child
safety seats, as of July 1, all children under age 6 must be in a child safety
or booster seat.
Contact:
Gary
Direnfeld, MSW, Executive Director
I Promise Program
20 Suter Crescent,
Dundas, Ontario, Canada
L9H 6R5
(905) 628-4847 gary123@sympatico.ca www.ipromiseprogram.com