Every so often it is good to get a dose of reality, this touched our hearts and souls. Please read and learn. Our blessings to Barbara Andrews and family and we pass along your story to our readers.
Barbara Andrews lost her daughter, Kimberly, in an SUV crash with another teen driving on June 12, 2002. Barbara now speaks to high school defensive driving classes in the hopes that this moving story will impress other teens with the need to drive safely and think about consequences of their actions ... and so that Kimberly's tragic death will not have been in vain.
You may also want to visit Kimberly's web site at www.KimberlyAndrews.com to learn more about Barabara, Kimberly and the entire Andrews family.
You can also hear Barbara's interview with us by clicking here.
[Windows Media Player video. Click to play, or right-click to Save As...]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you were to pass me in the halls or on the street, you would see that I am smiling; I am laughing; I am going about my day to day commitments and living my life. Things must be going well – no worries, no stress. That’s how it looks to the world outside. But, I feel invisible. Don’t they know, can’t they tell, can anyone see my pain…
I am a bereaved parent – that is the term they use. It doesn’t really represent who I am. I am a wife, a mother of 3, a professional. I am a parent who lost a part of myself almost 5 years ago, when my oldest, my only daughter was killed in a car accident. She was a passenger in an SUV. With the blink of an eye, our lives were turned upside down, inside out – never to be the same. The death of your child, no matter the circumstance, is devastating. Your future is changed forever. It is not the natural order of things.
As a parent, there is guilt and regret. You question your parenting and your sanity. You relive that day, those hours, over & over again. Your mind play tricks on you – if only this or that had occurred, the outcome would be different. No matter what you think, what you wish for, the outcome is the same – your precious child is dead – and you and your family must find a way to go on with your lives without them. So much easier said then done.
Yes, I am smiling, I am laughing and I am going about my day to day commitments and living my life. I have to. My husband and sons need me. I can’t help my Kimberly anymore.
Today, with a heavy heart, I am here to walk you through a few days of my family’s life. Similar to most family’s, but with an outcome I would not wish upon anyone.
My story is about decisions, actions and choices – ones that don’t provide a second chance. The message I want you to take home today is this: Always think about how your choices and decisions will impact you, your family and your friends. Can the consequences be life altering or even life ending? Remember, it CAN happen to you.
Friday, May 10, 2002 – Tonight is prom night. Kimberly is a junior at Pope High School. Even though Kimberly is not interested in going to prom, her friend Brett talks her into it. The afternoon and evening is filled with prom pictures at the house, dinner, prom and a get together at our house afterwards.
Sunday, May 12th – It is Mother’s Day and Kimberly 17th birthday. The day is extra special because Kimberly was born on Mother’s day! Kimberly chooses her favorite Chinese restaurant for dinner instead of her usual birthday dinner at her favorite Italian restaurant. After an early dinner, she meets up with friends.
The next 4 weeks are filled with end of school activities and exams. Kimberly plans on working full time this summer to pay on her car, insurance and save for school. She plans on graduating in December, so she can get a jump on her core classes. She is planning on becoming a teacher and can’t wait to move to the next stage of her life. The only reason she is staying is to be the Head Wrestling Manager her senior year.
Wednesday, June 12th, starts out as a typical summer’s day. Kimberly called me about 10 am that morning to ask if she could spend the night out at her friend Gina’s house. After some discussion, I agreed, only if she stayed home that weekend and spent some time with the family. Tyler had a baseball tournament that started that night and lasted through the weekend. Little did we know that as we sat watching Tyler play baseball, our daughter was dying.
Kimberly worked that day at Kroger. What we didn’t know is that she got off early (around 5 pm) and planned to head to the lake for the evening with friends. She didn’t have our permission. It turns out most of the kids in the caravan were kids we didn’t know – with the exception of about 3 who we had met a couple of times. We found out later that a lot of Kimberly’s friends knew where she was going – they had been invited too but couldn’t go for various reasons. Why did Kimberly lie to us?
There are a lot of things that happened between 5 and 8:41 that we will never know. There are several different versions of the story. Here is what we understand:
■Four cars of kids left for Lake Arrowhead around 6:30 pm, Kimberly’s Honda Civic, a Toyota Forerunner, a red car, and one other. Some of the kids planned on spending the night, others were planning on driving home later in the evening. Most parents did not know where their teenagers were headed.
■Kimberly’s car broke down and the kids “hung out” on 575 for about an hour deciding what to do. An officer stopped and asked them to move along as they were creating a disturbance on the highway.
Several kids went to get oil for Kimberly’s car – which did not help the engine to start.
■Everyone hopped into cars and headed for the lake, leaving Kimberly’s car behind. What was the plan? Kimberly was a control freak, why did she leave her car? I have been told that Kimberly’s “choice” of cars to get into was based on the fact that the red car’s occupants were smoking dope and that she chose the SUV for that reason.
■When Kimberly’s car broke down that evening (the engine locked because it had run out of oil apparently) she only had one thing in mind – I’m going to have fun with my friends. I wonder if she ever thought of calling us. She certainly had plenty of time. Kimberly always kept in touch – and knew we would help her out that night. She also probably knew that she would be in trouble – she was not where she was supposed to be. I am sure that was not the 1st time, unfortunately it was the last time. If only she had called us….
The car accident occurred at 8:41 pm, just a minute or two after she got in the other car. The first officer on the scene was the same officer that had asked them to “move along” a short time before.
Kimberly died instantly. She had multiple skull fractures, a broken nose and broken legs. Where she was sitting in the car took the brunt of the impact. Kimberly had the lap belt of the seat belt on, but when it hit the tree, the impact caused her seat to break so it was as if she had nothing to hold her in. The police don’t believe that having had the shoulder belt on would have helped save her. Why did she have to die?
The driver of the Toyota Forerunner saw something out of the corner of her eye, which caused her to swerve. Because of her lack of experience in driving an SUV, she overcorrected when her car started to go off the road. The car flipped over with the over correction, hit a tree, and then flipped on its side (Kimberly’s side) and hit the second tree. The impact of hitting the 3rd tree stopped the car – 2 dead, 4 injured, and many lives shattered forever. Kimberly was very particular about whom she drove with, yet this time she got in the car with someone she barely knew.
Kimberly’s injuries were so severe they wouldn’t let me see her. I never got to hug or kiss her goodbye. Why did this happen to her – she was so full of life and knew exactly what she wanted out of life? Her two brothers adore her and look up to her. These past 5 years have been very difficult for them, living without their big sister. We are a very close family, and it is very obvious as we set the dinner table for 4 instead of 5. Family pictures will never include my whole family again.
We didn’t get called until 11:50 pm that night, by the driver of the red car – her sister was in the car with Kimberly – that is how she knew about the accident. She also knew that one of the boys in the car was dead. His parents had been notified around 11 pm. Since we had not been notified of her whereabouts, I tried to call Grady Hospital where 2 of the kids had been taken. We found out later that her wallet was in the red car so the police didn’t know who she was. Remember her choice in car? I couldn’t get through, so Jay and I got Josh & Tyler out of bed and jumped in the car. We had to find Kimberly!
We started making phone calls to find her and find out where the accident had occurred as we were driving out of our subdivision. Eventually we were transferred to the Canton Police who recommended we go home. At that time they realized who we were and didn’t want to tell us over the phone. After going home and trying Grady and North Fulton Hospitals again and again, we called the Canton Police back. At that time we were told an officer was on the way to our house. As her brothers cried and prayed for her safety, her dad and I knew – but we still kept up hope for the boys and for ourselves. How can we comprehend the fact that our daughter was dead?
At 1:15 am on 6/13, a Canton policeman (the same officer who stopped on the side of the road and arrived at the scene of the accident) arrived at our home to tell us that our daughter did not suffer and was not coming home. He then began calling family and friends, so we wouldn’t be alone. By 3 am, our house was full of people trying to comprehend this tragedy. Most of it is a blur to me.
There are parts of the whole summer I still can’t fully remember – a sure sign that you are in shock. As Josh said to me one day, Mommy why did this have to happen to our family? That is a question I will never be able to answer.
If only she hadn’t lied, if only she’d called us. If only she didn’t get off work early. The “if onlys” go on for many weeks until you realize you are driving yourself crazy. The “if onlys” won’t bring Kimberly back. We also keep asking “Why”? Why did Kimberly die? Why did she not call? Why did she lie? How many other times did she lie to us? Why did we let her go out that night? Why didn’t her friends keep her from going that day? Answers we will never have. Questions continue to keep us up at night. The choices Kimberly made that day seemed innocent and harmless at the time.
Kimberly was a loving daughter, involved teenager, a great big sister and a hard worker. She had worked at Kroger since she was 15, did parties at Sports-a-rama, bought her own car, and paid her own insurance.
We loved Kimberly with all of our hearts. Kimberly was a good kid who cared about others and had a purpose in life. She offered so much to so many people in her short life. This became obvious to us as the nearly a thousand people came to pay their last respects at her funeral and with the hundreds of cards and letters we received. This was quite overwhelming to us, but brought us great comfort. A friend created a web site in her memory that people still write messages on. Two scholarships have been established in her memory (one for wrestling and one for aspiring teachers). The Pope Junior Wrestling Tournament was renamed to the Kim Andrews Classic. Jay and I had a memorial made with a poem Kimberly had written. It is in the front of the administration building at Pope.
Kimberly didn’t graduate from Pope – the graduation sign in the neighborhood said “In Memory Of” next to her name. The impact of her death is indescribable. There is emptiness in our lives that will never go away.
Never again will I enjoy a late night talk with Kimberly – those “mother/daughter till 1 am” talks. Never again will she be in the stands cheering Josh and Tyler on. Never again will her dad coach her in softball. The “firsts” don’t end when the 1st anniversary of your child’s death occurs. They go on forever. There is a knot in my chest every time someone asks me how many children I have – 3, I answer. It is the next question that is difficult – how old are they? Josh & Tyler are easy. It is always difficult to say that my daughter is forever 17. Both boys “age her”. If someone asks them about their family, they say they have a sister who is 22. The reality is that Josh, who is 16, and Tyler who is 14 will pass her in age very soon. No longer will I be able to say “When Kimberly was your age”.
Both boys ask questions and try to remember their sister. They were only 9 and 11 at the time. Josh is the one who realizes he will now be the first to go to college and wasn’t able to visit his older sister at school like his friends have been able to. He understands our apprehension of him driving and that he is not allowed in the car with another teenager!
Tyler has written several stories about Kimberly titled “My Hero”. “As I look back on my life and I think of a person who is a hero, I think of one person…my sister. My sister Kimberly showed me what a hero is. Kimberly was always supportive by being at my matches or games to cheer me on. As I was about to step onto the wrestling mat or the baseball diamond, I would get letters of encouragement from her. They made me want to do my best. There was never a time when she missed a game of mine. Kimberly was my cheerleader. Kimberly was a very loving person. She taught me how to care for someone. In her mind, family and friendship were number one. If I needed help, she would be there to help. I was inspired by the way she would always be helping someone in time of need. She made me feel like I was her number one priority. There was never a time when I don’t think about how she impacted my life. I just wish she were here to help me through the rest of my life”.
We miss her infectious laugh, her beautiful smile, her love, her stubbornness, her presence – everything about her!
Somehow, I still don’t know how, we have survived this devastating loss. We continue to take things one day at a time. Our perspective on what is important in life has changed. We don’t sweat the small stuff.
Kimberly was supposed to have enjoyed her senior year in high school, date, graduate from college, teach, get married, have children of her own, and be an example for her brothers. Kimberly and I were supposed to get through the hard part and be grownup friends. Kimberly used to always say, “Mom let me make my mistakes”. My answer to her was “My job as a parent is to keep you from making those life altering mistakes”. In my head, I know there was nothing I could have done to prevent this; in my heart I will always feel that I failed Kimberly by not protecting her. It wasn’t supposed to happen to Kimberly either!
■There were no drugs or alcohol involved in this accident.
■There was no speeding involved in this accident.
■No one was charged in this accident.
■There was a driver with little to no experience in driving an SUV.
■There was an SUV that flips with added weight and over correction.
Four families have gone on with their lives. Two families continue grieving.
You NEVER get over the loss of a child…I miss Kimberly every minute of every day.
As parents, we spend a lot of time making sure our children are making the right choices. We talk to you about drugs, alcohol and sex. We provide you with cell phones so you are just a phone call away. We want to meet your friends and your friends’ parents. We gain a false sense of security with our “good” kids. Car accidents only happen to “bad” kids making wrong choices, right?
Next time you get in a car, ask yourself these questions:
■Do I know if they drive responsibly?
■Am I “allowed” to be in the car with this person, either as the driver or a passenger?
■Am I where I am supposed to be – and if not, what if my parents found out – would they be proud of my decision?
■Is a friend lying for me – what would my family’s reaction be if they found out – especially if something bad happened to me?
■Am I or the person who is driving – distracted, too tired to be behind the wheel, driving too fast, or driving recklessly?
■Am I responsible enough to take the keys away from a friend, because they are not capable of driving?
The answers to these questions and your split second decision could be the difference between life and death.
I know most of you are here today because your parents made you come to this. I hope my story makes you realize that it is because they love you. Don’t make your family go through what Jay, Josh, Tyler and I live with every day and forever.
If I can get through to you, Kimberly’s death will not have been in vain. Remember Kimberly and all of the others like her. Please be mature and drive safely and wisely.
Showing posts with label alcohol and teen drivers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alcohol and teen drivers. Show all posts
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Buying a Car 101
How to Find the Perfect Car for You
By Art Corvelay , eHow Contributor
Purchasing a car can be a big decision for many people because it often involves a large monetary investment. Although the absolute perfect car may not exist, there are some steps you can take to find the perfect car for you. This article will walk you through some car-buying tips that will help you find the right car for your needs.
1
Determine how your car will fit your lifestyle. The most important thing is to think about how you will use your car, and not what kind of car you wish to have. Many of us wish to drive fast sports cars, but these may not be the best fit for our lifestyles. If you have three children and need a car that will accommodate you and your children, you may want to choose a mini-van or SUV. However, if you will be the only one using your car, you may want to think about a compact car.
2
Determine your price range. This step is essential, as it will narrow your search dramatically. Think about how much you would like to spend and make sure you set a price cap. That is, set a ceiling for the highest you would be willing to pay and do not plan to exceed this ceiling.
3
Think about your values and how they might be impacted by the car you purchase. If you value environmentally-friendly cars, you may want to search for a hybrid vehicle. Further, if buying an American-made car is important to you, you can easily narrow your search by looking for only American-made cars.
4
Begin searching for your perfect car. Once you have thought about your lifestyle needs and what you value in a car, you can start searching for your perfect car. The easiest way to do this is to start on the internet. You can utilize websites like cars.com that allow you to search for cars that fit your requirements. You can get a feel for the general market and pricing of cars you may be interested in.
5
Visit the actual car manufacturer's website if you have narrowed your search and chosen a manufacturer. For example, if you are interested in a Toyota, visit the Toyota website. You can visit the website to check out various colors and options that are offered for each make and model. Often times, there may be deals via the web that may not be announced at the actual dealership.
6
Contact a local dealer Once you have browsed a website like cars.com or manufacturer's websites, you can contact and visit local dealers to find out what cars they may have in stock.
7
Consider superficial options like color and interior at the dealership. These may differ from the options you viewed online depending on the stock of cars a dealership has. Do not let these options be deal-breakers if you have found an ideal car.
8
Make an offer. It is true that you can bargain with car dealers, depending on the dealership, of course. Think about your price cap and make a reasonable offer on the car you want to purchase. The most important thing is to not get too attached to a car. If the car price exceeds your ceiling, do not be afraid to walk away.
.
9
Check with your Insurance Agent before the purchase to see what you are adding to your monthly expenses. Insurance price varies with type, year age of the car, safety record, cost to fix etc.
By Art Corvelay , eHow Contributor
Purchasing a car can be a big decision for many people because it often involves a large monetary investment. Although the absolute perfect car may not exist, there are some steps you can take to find the perfect car for you. This article will walk you through some car-buying tips that will help you find the right car for your needs.
1
Determine how your car will fit your lifestyle. The most important thing is to think about how you will use your car, and not what kind of car you wish to have. Many of us wish to drive fast sports cars, but these may not be the best fit for our lifestyles. If you have three children and need a car that will accommodate you and your children, you may want to choose a mini-van or SUV. However, if you will be the only one using your car, you may want to think about a compact car.
2
Determine your price range. This step is essential, as it will narrow your search dramatically. Think about how much you would like to spend and make sure you set a price cap. That is, set a ceiling for the highest you would be willing to pay and do not plan to exceed this ceiling.
3
Think about your values and how they might be impacted by the car you purchase. If you value environmentally-friendly cars, you may want to search for a hybrid vehicle. Further, if buying an American-made car is important to you, you can easily narrow your search by looking for only American-made cars.
4
Begin searching for your perfect car. Once you have thought about your lifestyle needs and what you value in a car, you can start searching for your perfect car. The easiest way to do this is to start on the internet. You can utilize websites like cars.com that allow you to search for cars that fit your requirements. You can get a feel for the general market and pricing of cars you may be interested in.
5
Visit the actual car manufacturer's website if you have narrowed your search and chosen a manufacturer. For example, if you are interested in a Toyota, visit the Toyota website. You can visit the website to check out various colors and options that are offered for each make and model. Often times, there may be deals via the web that may not be announced at the actual dealership.
6
Contact a local dealer Once you have browsed a website like cars.com or manufacturer's websites, you can contact and visit local dealers to find out what cars they may have in stock.
7
Consider superficial options like color and interior at the dealership. These may differ from the options you viewed online depending on the stock of cars a dealership has. Do not let these options be deal-breakers if you have found an ideal car.
8
Make an offer. It is true that you can bargain with car dealers, depending on the dealership, of course. Think about your price cap and make a reasonable offer on the car you want to purchase. The most important thing is to not get too attached to a car. If the car price exceeds your ceiling, do not be afraid to walk away.
.
9
Check with your Insurance Agent before the purchase to see what you are adding to your monthly expenses. Insurance price varies with type, year age of the car, safety record, cost to fix etc.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Teendriving.com
I want to introduce all of our fellow bloggers to a web site called teendrivers.com is particularly user friendly to our teen drivers.
It includes such information on how to parallel park, tips on how to drive in bad weather, out in the country, around school and in cities. It gives tips on how to purchase insurance, buying a used car and many other advice sections for the young driver.
It is very well done and young drivers can become subscribers by logging on to the web site.
There is also a parents center for parents to get good sound advice.
All of this comes down to continuing to keep dialog going with our young drivers to keep them safe on the road. Let's try and reduce the tragic fatalities experienced by our young drivers.
It includes such information on how to parallel park, tips on how to drive in bad weather, out in the country, around school and in cities. It gives tips on how to purchase insurance, buying a used car and many other advice sections for the young driver.
It is very well done and young drivers can become subscribers by logging on to the web site.
There is also a parents center for parents to get good sound advice.
All of this comes down to continuing to keep dialog going with our young drivers to keep them safe on the road. Let's try and reduce the tragic fatalities experienced by our young drivers.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
More facts on Teen drivers fatalities
CHICAGO — Car crashes are the leading cause of death for tweens and teens, and a new study outlines some of the most dangerous circumstances: riding unbuckled with new teen drivers on high-speed roads.
These were the three biggest risk factors contributing to car crash deaths for passengers aged 8 to 17, the study found.
While young drivers have higher chances of dying, the six-year study focused on nearly 10,000 children passengers who were killed in car crashes. More than half — 54 percent — were riding with a teen driver. Drivers younger than 16 were the most dangerous.
Also, more than three-quarters of the fatal crashes occurred on roads with speed limits higher than 45 mph, and nearly two-thirds of the young passengers were not wearing seat belts, the researchers found.
Other dangerous circumstances for young passengers included drivers who’d been drinking alcohol, male teen drivers, and driving on weekends.
The message for parents is simple and sobering: Don’t let your teen ride with a teen driver who has less than a year’s experience driving. Insist on seat belts. And practice ways teens can resist peer pressure to ride with other teens, said Dr. Flaura Koplin Winston of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the study’s lead author.
“Knowing the risks can help parents and teens make smart decisions about which rides are safe, and which ones are off limits,” said Winston, the founder of the hospital’s Center for Injury Research and Prevention.
advertisement | ad info Advertisement | ad infoAdvertisement | ad info.
The researchers examined national data on serious car crashes including those resulting in death between 2000 and 2005. During that time, 2.5 million children aged 8 to 17 were involved in crashes and 9,807 died.
Risk of death is double if driver is a teen
The risk of death for kids riding with drivers aged 16 to 19 was at least double that of those riding with drivers aged 25 and older. There were about two deaths per 1,000 crashes for young passengers with 25-plus drivers, versus more than four deaths in the younger group.
The study, conducted with State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co., appears in the March edition of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. State Farm funded the research.
Recent federal data indicate that the percentage of U.S. 16-year-olds with driver’s licenses has fallen since 1998 (from roughly 44 percent to about 30 percent), during a time when restrictions on teen driving generally increased.
But no states have all the restrictions recommended by State Farm, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Philadelphia hospital.
For example, they say the minimum age for a learner’s permits should be 16. But nine states grant them to 14-year-olds and at least 30 others give them to 15-year-olds. Also, the groups say drivers younger than 18 should not be allowed to have more than one teen passenger without adult supervision, but only 34 states have that restriction, according to data provided by the hospital and State Farm.
Rosie Jermakian, a Bethesda, Md., 16-year-old, said the study results hit home, particularly because of a recent spate of teen car crashes in the Washington, D.C. area, including one that involved a friend. Rosie’s stepmother does research at the Philadelphia hospital but was not involved in the study.
“Teen drivers don’t always think,” said Rosie, who has a learner’s permit and hopes to get her license soon. “Sometimes they think they’re just in this little bubble where they can’t get hurt and they don’t really think of the consequences.”
Winston, the study author, said that means teen passengers and their parents have to take precautions, and the Jermakian family does.
“I’ve told her flat out, in regard to some of her friends who I don’t believe have been well taught in these areas, that she is not to get in a car with them driving,” said Joel Jermakian, Rosie’s father.
Her parents also have told her to call them for a ride if she ever faces a potentially dangerous driving situation.
Jermakian said the study “reminds us that in raising teens, constant dialogue about all these kinds of things is important.”
These were the three biggest risk factors contributing to car crash deaths for passengers aged 8 to 17, the study found.
While young drivers have higher chances of dying, the six-year study focused on nearly 10,000 children passengers who were killed in car crashes. More than half — 54 percent — were riding with a teen driver. Drivers younger than 16 were the most dangerous.
Also, more than three-quarters of the fatal crashes occurred on roads with speed limits higher than 45 mph, and nearly two-thirds of the young passengers were not wearing seat belts, the researchers found.
Other dangerous circumstances for young passengers included drivers who’d been drinking alcohol, male teen drivers, and driving on weekends.
The message for parents is simple and sobering: Don’t let your teen ride with a teen driver who has less than a year’s experience driving. Insist on seat belts. And practice ways teens can resist peer pressure to ride with other teens, said Dr. Flaura Koplin Winston of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the study’s lead author.
“Knowing the risks can help parents and teens make smart decisions about which rides are safe, and which ones are off limits,” said Winston, the founder of the hospital’s Center for Injury Research and Prevention.
advertisement | ad info Advertisement | ad infoAdvertisement | ad info.
The researchers examined national data on serious car crashes including those resulting in death between 2000 and 2005. During that time, 2.5 million children aged 8 to 17 were involved in crashes and 9,807 died.
Risk of death is double if driver is a teen
The risk of death for kids riding with drivers aged 16 to 19 was at least double that of those riding with drivers aged 25 and older. There were about two deaths per 1,000 crashes for young passengers with 25-plus drivers, versus more than four deaths in the younger group.
The study, conducted with State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co., appears in the March edition of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. State Farm funded the research.
Recent federal data indicate that the percentage of U.S. 16-year-olds with driver’s licenses has fallen since 1998 (from roughly 44 percent to about 30 percent), during a time when restrictions on teen driving generally increased.
But no states have all the restrictions recommended by State Farm, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Philadelphia hospital.
For example, they say the minimum age for a learner’s permits should be 16. But nine states grant them to 14-year-olds and at least 30 others give them to 15-year-olds. Also, the groups say drivers younger than 18 should not be allowed to have more than one teen passenger without adult supervision, but only 34 states have that restriction, according to data provided by the hospital and State Farm.
Rosie Jermakian, a Bethesda, Md., 16-year-old, said the study results hit home, particularly because of a recent spate of teen car crashes in the Washington, D.C. area, including one that involved a friend. Rosie’s stepmother does research at the Philadelphia hospital but was not involved in the study.
“Teen drivers don’t always think,” said Rosie, who has a learner’s permit and hopes to get her license soon. “Sometimes they think they’re just in this little bubble where they can’t get hurt and they don’t really think of the consequences.”
Winston, the study author, said that means teen passengers and their parents have to take precautions, and the Jermakian family does.
“I’ve told her flat out, in regard to some of her friends who I don’t believe have been well taught in these areas, that she is not to get in a car with them driving,” said Joel Jermakian, Rosie’s father.
Her parents also have told her to call them for a ride if she ever faces a potentially dangerous driving situation.
Jermakian said the study “reminds us that in raising teens, constant dialogue about all these kinds of things is important.”
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Big boring and slow, the best choice for your teen driver!
What cars and features are the best for teen drivers? Read below.
Big, boring and slow. That's the formula for teenage drivers, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a nonprofit that analyzes auto safety and driving issues. • "The vehicle choice for teens is especially crucial because of their higher risk of getting into a crash," said Russ Rader, the institute's spokesman.
The highway safety institute agreed with many of the findings of Consumer Reports, which recently issued its list of the best cars for teen drivers and emphasized the importance of the electronic stability control safety feature.
Such systems sense when a vehicle begins to slide in a turn and applies the brakes to one or more of the auto's wheels to keep the car on course, said Jim Travers, the magazine's associate autos editor.
The feature will be required on 2012 model-year vehicles, Travers said.
According to the highway safety institute, electronic stability control reduces the risk of fatal single-vehicle crashes by 50 percent and fatal multiple vehicle crashes by 19 percent. Moreover, it slashes the potential for fatal vehicle rollover accidents in cars and SUVs by at least 72 percent.
Consumer Reports and the institute both said teen drivers need vehicles with as many safety features as possible, including antilock brakes and curtain air bags.
The crash risk is four times as high for 16- to 19-year-olds as for older drivers, per mile driven, according to the institute. At age 16, the crash rate is double what it is for 18- to 19-year-olds, it said.
A small, lightweight car is not a good vehicle for a teen driver, Rader said.
Consumer Reports is more lenient and has some small cars, including the Hyundai Elantra and the Mazda 3, among its recommendations.
The magazine suggests that teens drive late-model or new vehicles, which are more likely to have safety features and less likely to break down.
Its recommendations for larger vehicles include the Acura TSX, Honda Accord, Kia Optima, Toyota Prius and Volkswagen Jetta. Travers acknowledged that some of these might be outside of a family's budget for teen transportation and recommended used conservative sedans with as many safety features as possible.
Both organizations suggest that parents should avoid SUVs and pickup trucks because of their high center of gravity and added rollover risk. They recommend staying away from performance and sports cars.
"The main issue with teens in general is that they overestimate their skills and underestimate their risks. Teens have a penchant for taking risks behind the wheel. They are more likely to speed, more likely to tailgate and they are less likely to wear their seat belts," Rader said.
Big, boring and slow. That's the formula for teenage drivers, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a nonprofit that analyzes auto safety and driving issues. • "The vehicle choice for teens is especially crucial because of their higher risk of getting into a crash," said Russ Rader, the institute's spokesman.
The highway safety institute agreed with many of the findings of Consumer Reports, which recently issued its list of the best cars for teen drivers and emphasized the importance of the electronic stability control safety feature.
Such systems sense when a vehicle begins to slide in a turn and applies the brakes to one or more of the auto's wheels to keep the car on course, said Jim Travers, the magazine's associate autos editor.
The feature will be required on 2012 model-year vehicles, Travers said.
According to the highway safety institute, electronic stability control reduces the risk of fatal single-vehicle crashes by 50 percent and fatal multiple vehicle crashes by 19 percent. Moreover, it slashes the potential for fatal vehicle rollover accidents in cars and SUVs by at least 72 percent.
Consumer Reports and the institute both said teen drivers need vehicles with as many safety features as possible, including antilock brakes and curtain air bags.
The crash risk is four times as high for 16- to 19-year-olds as for older drivers, per mile driven, according to the institute. At age 16, the crash rate is double what it is for 18- to 19-year-olds, it said.
A small, lightweight car is not a good vehicle for a teen driver, Rader said.
Consumer Reports is more lenient and has some small cars, including the Hyundai Elantra and the Mazda 3, among its recommendations.
The magazine suggests that teens drive late-model or new vehicles, which are more likely to have safety features and less likely to break down.
Its recommendations for larger vehicles include the Acura TSX, Honda Accord, Kia Optima, Toyota Prius and Volkswagen Jetta. Travers acknowledged that some of these might be outside of a family's budget for teen transportation and recommended used conservative sedans with as many safety features as possible.
Both organizations suggest that parents should avoid SUVs and pickup trucks because of their high center of gravity and added rollover risk. They recommend staying away from performance and sports cars.
"The main issue with teens in general is that they overestimate their skills and underestimate their risks. Teens have a penchant for taking risks behind the wheel. They are more likely to speed, more likely to tailgate and they are less likely to wear their seat belts," Rader said.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Official statistics from the CDC
Many times people are unsure about the sources used to obtain statistics, so we thought we would use the stats from one of the country's big guns, the Center for Disease Control(CDC). The facts are sobering and we continue to ask all you parents to be tough. The facts are sobering.
Teen Drivers: Fact Sheet
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, accounting for more than one in three deaths in this age group.1 In 2008, nine teens ages 16 to 19 died every day from motor vehicle injuries. Per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely than older drivers to crash. Fortunately, teen motor vehicle crashes are preventable, and proven strategies can improve the safety of young drivers on the road.
How big is the problem?
In 2008, about 3,500 teens in the United States aged 15–19 were killed and more than 350,000 were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor-vehicle crashes.1,2
Young people ages 15-24 represent only 14% of the U.S. population. However, they account for 30% ($19 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among males and 28% ($7 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among females.3
Who is most at risk?
The risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16- to 19-year-olds than among any other age group. In fact, per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely than older drivers to crash.4
Among teen drivers, those at especially high risk for motor vehicle crashes are:
•Males: In 2006, the motor vehicle death rate for male drivers and passengers ages 15 to 19 was almost two times that of their female counterparts.1
•Teens driving with teen passengers: The presence of teen passengers increases the crash risk of unsupervised teen drivers. This risk increases with the number of teen passengers.5
•Newly licensed teens: Crash risk is particularly high during the first year that teenagers are eligible to drive.4
What factors put teen drivers at risk?
•Teens are more likely than older drivers to underestimate dangerous situations or not be able to recognize hazardous situations.6
•Teens are more likely than older drivers to speed and allow shorter headways (the distance from the front of one vehicle to the front of the next). The presence of male teenage passengers increases the likelihood of this risky driving behavior.7
•Among male drivers between 15 and 20 years of age who were involved in fatal crashes in 2005, 37% were speeding at the time of the crash and 26% had been drinking.8,9
•Compared with other age groups, teens have the lowest rate of seat belt use. In 2005, 10% of high school students reported they rarely or never wear seat belts when riding with someone else.10
•Male high school students (12.5%) were more likely than female students (7.8%) to rarely or never wear seat belts.10
•African-American students (12%) and Hispanic students (13%) were more likely than white students (10.1%) to rarely or never wear seat belts.10
•At all levels of blood alcohol concentration (BAC), the risk of involvement in a motor vehicle crash is greater for teens than for older drivers.10
•In 2008, 25% of drivers ages 15 to 20 who died in motor vehicle crashes had a BAC of 0.08 g/dl or higher.10
•In a national survey conducted in 2007, nearly three out of ten teens reported that, within the previous month, they had ridden with a driver who had been drinking alcohol. One in ten reported having driven after drinking alcohol within the same one-month period.10
•In 2008, nearly three out of every four teen drivers killed in motor vehicle crashes after drinking and driving were not wearing a seat belt.10
•In 2008, half of teen deaths from motor vehicle crashes occurred between 3 p.m. and midnight and 56% occurred on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.10
How can deaths and injuries resulting from crashes involving teen drivers be prevented?
There are proven methods to helping teens become safer drivers. Research suggests that the most comprehensive graduated drivers licensing (GDL) programs are associated with reductions of 38% and 40% in fatal and injury crashes, respectively, among 16-year-old drivers.1
Graduated driver licensing (GDL) systems are designed to delay full licensure while allowing teens to get their initial driving experience under low-risk conditions. For more information about GDL systems, see Teens Behind the Wheel: Graduated Drivers Licensing.
When parents know their state’s GDL laws, they can help enforce the laws and, in effect, help keep their teen drivers safe.
Teen Drivers: Fact Sheet
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, accounting for more than one in three deaths in this age group.1 In 2008, nine teens ages 16 to 19 died every day from motor vehicle injuries. Per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely than older drivers to crash. Fortunately, teen motor vehicle crashes are preventable, and proven strategies can improve the safety of young drivers on the road.
How big is the problem?
In 2008, about 3,500 teens in the United States aged 15–19 were killed and more than 350,000 were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor-vehicle crashes.1,2
Young people ages 15-24 represent only 14% of the U.S. population. However, they account for 30% ($19 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among males and 28% ($7 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among females.3
Who is most at risk?
The risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16- to 19-year-olds than among any other age group. In fact, per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely than older drivers to crash.4
Among teen drivers, those at especially high risk for motor vehicle crashes are:
•Males: In 2006, the motor vehicle death rate for male drivers and passengers ages 15 to 19 was almost two times that of their female counterparts.1
•Teens driving with teen passengers: The presence of teen passengers increases the crash risk of unsupervised teen drivers. This risk increases with the number of teen passengers.5
•Newly licensed teens: Crash risk is particularly high during the first year that teenagers are eligible to drive.4
What factors put teen drivers at risk?
•Teens are more likely than older drivers to underestimate dangerous situations or not be able to recognize hazardous situations.6
•Teens are more likely than older drivers to speed and allow shorter headways (the distance from the front of one vehicle to the front of the next). The presence of male teenage passengers increases the likelihood of this risky driving behavior.7
•Among male drivers between 15 and 20 years of age who were involved in fatal crashes in 2005, 37% were speeding at the time of the crash and 26% had been drinking.8,9
•Compared with other age groups, teens have the lowest rate of seat belt use. In 2005, 10% of high school students reported they rarely or never wear seat belts when riding with someone else.10
•Male high school students (12.5%) were more likely than female students (7.8%) to rarely or never wear seat belts.10
•African-American students (12%) and Hispanic students (13%) were more likely than white students (10.1%) to rarely or never wear seat belts.10
•At all levels of blood alcohol concentration (BAC), the risk of involvement in a motor vehicle crash is greater for teens than for older drivers.10
•In 2008, 25% of drivers ages 15 to 20 who died in motor vehicle crashes had a BAC of 0.08 g/dl or higher.10
•In a national survey conducted in 2007, nearly three out of ten teens reported that, within the previous month, they had ridden with a driver who had been drinking alcohol. One in ten reported having driven after drinking alcohol within the same one-month period.10
•In 2008, nearly three out of every four teen drivers killed in motor vehicle crashes after drinking and driving were not wearing a seat belt.10
•In 2008, half of teen deaths from motor vehicle crashes occurred between 3 p.m. and midnight and 56% occurred on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.10
How can deaths and injuries resulting from crashes involving teen drivers be prevented?
There are proven methods to helping teens become safer drivers. Research suggests that the most comprehensive graduated drivers licensing (GDL) programs are associated with reductions of 38% and 40% in fatal and injury crashes, respectively, among 16-year-old drivers.1
Graduated driver licensing (GDL) systems are designed to delay full licensure while allowing teens to get their initial driving experience under low-risk conditions. For more information about GDL systems, see Teens Behind the Wheel: Graduated Drivers Licensing.
When parents know their state’s GDL laws, they can help enforce the laws and, in effect, help keep their teen drivers safe.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Teen drivers need tough love, be a parent, not a pal!
For those of us who have young drivers in the household, this article is compelling and well worth reading. We have all heard much of what Ms. Ziegler is conveying in her article, but are we doing the hard part? Are we putting it into practice?
By Suzanne Ziegler
Minneapolis Star Tribune
The list of advice for parents of teen drivers is long. Have a firm stance against alcohol, always know the other kids they're out with, don't let them drive with a car full of teens, have firm rules and expectations with consequences if they're broken, be a good role model.
But experts say it comes down to hands-on, tough parenting and fighting off a desire to want to be your teen's friend.
"Too often, parents want to give away their responsibility as parents to the schools," said Bruce Novak, superintendent of the Cambridge-Isanti School District in Minnesota, where three high school students died and one was injured in a weekend crash that killed three others. "We're supposed to take care of all those issues and concerns that they're maybe uncomfortable with because they want to be the friend of their child. But our children need parents to guide them directly."
Parents, not pals
Novak said if teens aren't supposed to be out after 10 p.m., the parents should say, "'No, you're not supposed to be out.' And they can throw their little hissy fit and pout and go to their room and be mad. At what point in time do parents finally say: 'I'm going to be the parent. I'm the responsible one'"?
Bill Doherty, a professor of family social science at the University of Minnesota, said parents have become more laid-back, even indulgent. But this is not the time for "wishy-washy" parenting.
"But what you'll hear from some parents is that kids are kids. You can't police them, and you want to keep open lines of communication and blah-blah. The thing is, you have to have as firm a policy as you can have against alcohol use, against your child driving with other teens at night," said Doherty. "Know who their friends are and know if their friends drink and monitor, monitor, monitor."
Like Novak, Doherty, a parenting expert, dismisses the idea that the best parent is a best friend.
"Many parents want to be buddies with their kids and don't want to come down too hard on them," he said. "And many parents have this idea, 'Well, the kids are going to use alcohol anyway, so why be the heavy, why talk about it that much?' What we know from the research is that teens who believe their parents are firmly against them drinking are less apt to drink. Our kids carry us in their brain, and that's why (you need) a firm hand, that 'you're too young to drink and it's not acceptable to me as your parent that you drink at all, let alone drink and drive.' "
Instill values, stay vigilant
Parents also have to realize that just because their son or daughter is a reasonable, responsible young adult doesn't mean their teen is that way around other teens.
"This is what parents need to know: Whatever maturity level your teenager shows alone, you cut it in half if there are other teens in the car," he said. "The more teens present, add alcohol and you get the maturity level of a 6-year-old."
Society is still turning over keys to multi-ton vehicles to young adults whose brains aren't fully mature until they're 25. So what are parents to do? Besides knowing who they're with and what they're doing, instill their values in their teens.
"You can't fully control them, but you can influence them," Doherty said. "We can't fully protect them, but we can reduce the odds that they'll be in that situation. That's what we're talking about."
Gordy Pehrson, youth alcohol and driving coordinator at the Office of Traffic Safety, agreed that teens, by their very nature, feel invincible and throw caution to the wind. Even when they're learning about driving laws, he said, it becomes just "noise" to them after a while.
"Teens know it's wrong to drink and drive, they know it's wrong to speed, they know it's wrong to not wear their seat belt — but they do it anyway," he said. "So I can't emphasize enough the importance of parents, their roles in safe driving with their teens. We can't legislate it, we can't force it down people's throats."
According to Novak, schools have taken on a growing role when it comes to drug and alcohol awareness and even seat belt safety, but he was quick to add schools can't do it all.
"How much more can we do without being there with the child every minute of every day? For me, it is parent responsibility," he said.
Parents should know that they'll need to bite the bullet, said Pehrson. "Kids say that they hate you. It's really tough to make it through those years."
Read more: http://www.kansas.com/2010/05/13/1311363/teen-drivers-need-tough-love-not.html#ixzz0nqMbDPAT
By Suzanne Ziegler
Minneapolis Star Tribune
The list of advice for parents of teen drivers is long. Have a firm stance against alcohol, always know the other kids they're out with, don't let them drive with a car full of teens, have firm rules and expectations with consequences if they're broken, be a good role model.
But experts say it comes down to hands-on, tough parenting and fighting off a desire to want to be your teen's friend.
"Too often, parents want to give away their responsibility as parents to the schools," said Bruce Novak, superintendent of the Cambridge-Isanti School District in Minnesota, where three high school students died and one was injured in a weekend crash that killed three others. "We're supposed to take care of all those issues and concerns that they're maybe uncomfortable with because they want to be the friend of their child. But our children need parents to guide them directly."
Parents, not pals
Novak said if teens aren't supposed to be out after 10 p.m., the parents should say, "'No, you're not supposed to be out.' And they can throw their little hissy fit and pout and go to their room and be mad. At what point in time do parents finally say: 'I'm going to be the parent. I'm the responsible one'"?
Bill Doherty, a professor of family social science at the University of Minnesota, said parents have become more laid-back, even indulgent. But this is not the time for "wishy-washy" parenting.
"But what you'll hear from some parents is that kids are kids. You can't police them, and you want to keep open lines of communication and blah-blah. The thing is, you have to have as firm a policy as you can have against alcohol use, against your child driving with other teens at night," said Doherty. "Know who their friends are and know if their friends drink and monitor, monitor, monitor."
Like Novak, Doherty, a parenting expert, dismisses the idea that the best parent is a best friend.
"Many parents want to be buddies with their kids and don't want to come down too hard on them," he said. "And many parents have this idea, 'Well, the kids are going to use alcohol anyway, so why be the heavy, why talk about it that much?' What we know from the research is that teens who believe their parents are firmly against them drinking are less apt to drink. Our kids carry us in their brain, and that's why (you need) a firm hand, that 'you're too young to drink and it's not acceptable to me as your parent that you drink at all, let alone drink and drive.' "
Instill values, stay vigilant
Parents also have to realize that just because their son or daughter is a reasonable, responsible young adult doesn't mean their teen is that way around other teens.
"This is what parents need to know: Whatever maturity level your teenager shows alone, you cut it in half if there are other teens in the car," he said. "The more teens present, add alcohol and you get the maturity level of a 6-year-old."
Society is still turning over keys to multi-ton vehicles to young adults whose brains aren't fully mature until they're 25. So what are parents to do? Besides knowing who they're with and what they're doing, instill their values in their teens.
"You can't fully control them, but you can influence them," Doherty said. "We can't fully protect them, but we can reduce the odds that they'll be in that situation. That's what we're talking about."
Gordy Pehrson, youth alcohol and driving coordinator at the Office of Traffic Safety, agreed that teens, by their very nature, feel invincible and throw caution to the wind. Even when they're learning about driving laws, he said, it becomes just "noise" to them after a while.
"Teens know it's wrong to drink and drive, they know it's wrong to speed, they know it's wrong to not wear their seat belt — but they do it anyway," he said. "So I can't emphasize enough the importance of parents, their roles in safe driving with their teens. We can't legislate it, we can't force it down people's throats."
According to Novak, schools have taken on a growing role when it comes to drug and alcohol awareness and even seat belt safety, but he was quick to add schools can't do it all.
"How much more can we do without being there with the child every minute of every day? For me, it is parent responsibility," he said.
Parents should know that they'll need to bite the bullet, said Pehrson. "Kids say that they hate you. It's really tough to make it through those years."
Read more: http://www.kansas.com/2010/05/13/1311363/teen-drivers-need-tough-love-not.html#ixzz0nqMbDPAT
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
