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Distracted Driving Summit Teaches Teens to Drive Safely

Sandy Spavone — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 21:03:59 +0000

It’s with tired feet, but a happy heart, that I am writing this post about the National Organizations for Youth Safety’s (NOYS) 2011 Distracted Driving Summit that concluded last week.

For those of you not familiar with the event, the Distracted Driving Summit brings together teens from across the country to learn about the most current distracted driving research. The group then studies how to use a wide range of communication tools to persuade drivers to hang up their phones when they get behind the wheel. Why host a meeting focused on this one issue? According to Seventeen magazine nearly 9 in 10 teenage drivers have engaged in distracted driving behaviors such as texting or talking on a cellphone—despite knowing that their actions increase their risk of crashing. The online survey of 1,999 teens ages 16 to 19, conducted in May 2010, found that 84% were aware that distracted driving behaviors increase their crash risk; yet 86% have engaged in those behaviors, including texting and talking on cell phones, eating, adjusting radios, driving with four or more passengers and applying makeup. The survey confirms what we already know. Teens—and adults—engage in distracted driving. What we need to do now is help to educate youth about the dangers of distracted driving. And that’s what our Distracted Driving Summit is all about. Our summit participants became safety ambassadors, applying what they learned by creating programs to bring back to their schools and communities to help reduce distracted driving among their peers. During the Summit, I had the opportunity to work with summit participants from Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Their passion and dedication to preventing distracted driving is remarkable, and with their help, we can decrease risky driving behaviors. The youth leaders shared with me just a few of the tips they will be taking home to their friends—and I hope that you will take a minute to read these and share them with your teens and adult drivers:

Keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road.
Allow voice mail to handle your calls while driving and return them at your convenience.
Pull off the road to a safe area or ask a passenger to make or take a call for you if urgently needed.
Use a hands-free device if available.
Suspend conversation during hazardous driving conditions.
Do not engage in stressful or emotional conversations while driving.
Never take notes or look up numbers while driving.

Consumer Reports shared that 16% of all teen drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2009 were distracted while driving. Help prevent the loss of more lives by supporting distracted driving prevention programs in your community and set a good example when driving by keeping safe driving your main focus.

Guest blogger Sandy Spavone is the Executive Director of NOYS and works to promote youth empowerment and leadership. She builds partnerships that help to save lives, prevent injuries, and promote safe and healthy lifestyles among all youth.

3 Ways Parents Can Reduce Distracted Driving

Kristin Varela, Cars.com — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 19:15:42 +0000

Parents Can Be Distracted Drivers, Too

We’ve all heard about the dangers of texting and driving, and although many of us think that teens are the most distracted drivers among us, think again. Think way back to this morning, when you were driving to school, taking that early morning work call, sneaking a peek on your cell phone in the cupholder at that text that just came in, searching for the pencil that little Suzie dropped under the seat, sipping on your coffee, listening to the morning news on the radio, harping at your son for forgetting his lunchbox...all while driving. Scary stuff! Despite raising awareness of the dangers of distracted driving—even by high-profile personalities such as Oprah—we are still not getting the message. Texting and driving tops the list, but dialing phone numbers, eating, reading and more are also to blame. In 2008, nearly 6,000 people were killed in completely avoidable accidents that involved a distracted driver, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. We’ve become even more distracted in the few years since. Take some extra time to figure out what changes you and your family can make to help save a life. Try these tips: Abstinence. The easiest thing we can do is never text or dial while driving and model this behavior to our youngsters (monkey see, monkey do). If you have teens who are already text-reliant, look into technology to help avoid temptation. Avoid allowing your youngsters to distract you while driving by starting early to teach them that Mommy can’t help (or look or reach) right now because she needs to keep her eyes safely on the road. Technology as a solution. A new app on Android phones (coming soon to iPhone, BlackBerry and Windows Phone 7 devices) called Otter allows parents to log in remotely to their teen’s cell phone and turn on the app’s GPS mode to “silence all primary text notifications [while the teen is in a moving car] and auto-reply with an anti-texting and driving message,” the developer says. Otter was developed by a father whose 3-year-old daughter was nearly run down by a texting driver. According to Otter, a texting driver is 2,300 percent more likely to be involved in a serious crash than a non-texting driver. Designated texter. If you or your teen is in a car with a child, sibling or friends, choose a designated texter—someone in the car whose job is to reply to any time-sensitive or social texts so the driver can stay focused on the road. Even my 7-year-old loves being honored as the designated texter, letting Daddy know we’re stopping at the grocery store before heading home. Talk to your family tonight at the dinner table about other ideas that you can implement to be a part of the solution to dangerous distracted driving, rather than the problem. Guest blogger Kristin Varela is the Chief Mom at MotherProof.com, a website dedicated to providing women and mothers in particular with useful and entertaining new-car reviews that are straightforward and casual, written by the Mother Proof mom-reviewers from one woman to another.

Seven Tips for Parents of Newly-licensed Teen Drivers

Brendan — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 01:14:57 +0000

Your teen just got a driver’s license and wants to celebrate by jumping in the car to go meet friends. You’re proud of the accomplishment, yet worried about them driving solo. You have good reason to be anxious: Motor vehicle crashes caused by teen drivers are the number one cause of death among teens with 16-year-olds accounting for the highest percentage.

How can you encourage responsible driving—and still be a cool parent? 1. Trust. Remember riding shotgun as your teen learned to drive, stifling your gasps and gripping the handle so hard your knuckles turned white? Your teen will need this kind of self-control—and self-confidence—to drive solo. While you should emphasize that driving is a big deal with consequences, also reinforce that you trust his or her judgment. If you’ve demonstrated safe driving behaviors, your teen is more likely to follow your lead. 2. Observe and report. Phone calls are so last decade for teens. Texting is the thing, a quick way to be in touch, but it can be a lethal distraction on the roads. Indeed, texting while driving increases the risk of crashing by more than 20 times. Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that the way teens drive when they first get their license influences how they’ll drive as adults. Every time your teen takes the wheel, give a reminder to buckle up, stay away from the phone, call after arriving at the destination, and be home before curfew. You also may want to go James Bond and invest in the latest technology to monitor your teen’s driving such as an in-car tracking device or a smart phone app that allows him or her to send simple messages. 3. Ride along. Sure, teens would rather drive around with their friends, but what’s wrong with driving your mom to the mall? Invite yourself for a ride—to music lessons, soccer practices, anywhere you’d both find enjoyable. See how they’re doing and, if you notice any bad habits, you can nip them in the bud. 4. Practice makes perfect. Your teen has put in 50 hours behind the wheel to get a license. But becoming an experienced driver takes time. The more teens drive, the better they’ll be able to handle different situations, especially in hazardous conditions, such as stormy weather or difficult terrain. 5. Set limits. Most states have laws that limit the number of passengers in a car driven by a teen driver. But establishing other guidelines are up to you. Will you allow your teen to drive on the highway? In the dark? To a party? Clearly outline and communicate your own set of rules to your teen. Be particularly vigilant about curfew, as times vary from community to community and police departments follow different protocols. 6. Talk. Your teen’s newfound independence does not mean you should stop communicating. Quite the opposite: Find ways to engage and encourage an open conversation about driving concerns he or she might have. Also, talking to your friends, and the parents of your teen’s friends, can help you share and articulate your concerns and those of other parents. 7. Adjust. No two young adults are alike. Yes, they sometimes have a pack mentality, but more often than not, they’ll behave in a way consistent with their personality and value system. Just look at who is behind the wheel and adjust your involvement accordingly. Being supportive of your newly-licensed teen is a juggling act, but watching your teen come home safe and sound is the reward that makes it all worthwhile.

Five Myths about Teen Driving Safety

Sandy Spavone — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 13:16:03 +0000

Communities, schools and public and private organizations are spreading the word about the importance of helping teenagers become smart, careful drivers. By now, most teens and their parents are aware of this frightening statistic: car crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers, who are four times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than older drivers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Thankfully, the majority of teens today know that they need to wear seat belts and should never drink and drive. But beyond these facts, there is often confusion about the best steps to keep teen drivers safe. Let’s clear up some of this confusion among teens and their parents about teen driving safety.

Myth #1: Most crashes occur when teenagers take deliberate risks.

The overwhelming majority of teen crashes are caused by inexperience or distractions, not thrill-seeking behaviors. It takes time to overcome inexperience, but distractions can be eliminated immediately. It may be tempting to multitask, but teens should focus all of their attention on the road—not applying makeup, scarfing down lunch or—the worst—fooling around with cell phones. More than 40 percent of teen crashes involve driver errors caused by distractions or a lack of scanning needed to detect and respond to hazards, according to the New York Times.

Myth #2: Texting while driving is no big deal. After all, it only takes a few seconds.

Taking your eyes off the road for just five seconds at 55 mph is like driving the length of a football field completely blind. When teens text and drive, their reaction times are greatly reduced. An Allstate study found that texting and driving increases the risk of crashing by 23 times!

Myth #3: Teens have young, strong eyes so night driving isn’t a problem.

100 percent wrong. Nighttime is the worst time for everyone because drivers are less alert and darkness limits the field of vision, making it hard to see oncoming traffic and how the road curves or slopes. Inexperienced teen drivers are three times more likely to crash at night than during the daylight hours, reports Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD).

Myth #4: Teens who are above average students will be safe drivers.

Being responsible for schoolwork doesn’t always carry over when a teen gets behind the wheel. Driving also requires cognitive and motor skills that aren’t necessary for classroom success. Studies have shown no relationship between a teen’s report card and driving behavior.

Myth #5: Parents have little influence over their teens’ driving habits.

The opposite is true: parents have the greatest influence over their teens' driving habits, behaviors and skills. One of the best ways they can help their children become better drivers is to practice what they preach—buckle up, slow down and focus on the road.

Sandy Spavone is the Executive Director of NOYS and works to promote youth empowerment and leadership. She builds partnerships that help to save lives, prevent injuries, and promote safe and healthy lifestyles among all youth.

Put Down the Cell Phone

Jen — Mon, 30 May 2011 16:07:15 +0000

Technology can be a blessing, except when it’s a distraction on the road. With everything from BlackBerrys to iPhones, it can be difficult to resist the urge to check your email and text while driving. But studies have shown that using your phone on the road can significantly increase your risk for an accident. This summer, the dangers of cell phones on the road became increasingly more apparent as a study showed that texting while driving was more dangerous than drinking and driving. Experts believe that texting while driving can be even more dangerous for teens. Recently a British police department uploaded a horrific YouTube video (WARNING: Contains images of graphic and realistic automobile accident) about the dangers of texting while driving. While the PSA was targeted towards teens, the message is applicable to everyone. Here are 5 facts you may not know about the dangers of using your phone on the road.

18-25 year old drivers talking on a cell phone with a headset reacted as slowly as a 65 to 74-year driver without any distractions.
Drivers talking on cell phones were 18 percent slower in hitting their brakes than those without cell phones.
Drivers on cell phones took 17 percent longer to regain speed when they braked.
Texting while driving increases your risk for an accident by nearly six times as much as driving without distractions.
In 2008, nearly 6,000 people died in car accidents because of a distracted or inattentive driver and more than half a million were injured.

Top Ten Distractions for New Drivers

Jen — Thu, 19 May 2011 15:30:35 +0000

Here’s a great article for young drivers over at Edmunds.com. Not only does it talk about some of the unexpected distractions, but they also give you tips on how to deal with them. Even experienced drivers might want to take a look – maybe even more so than all those new drivers out there. Sure, as you drive more, you learn how to deal with the buzzing cell phone, the chatting passengers and all the things on the road you need to pay attention to. But, experienced drivers also tend to fall into bad habits after time. Things like eating your morning bagel with cream cheese on the expressway. Or texting a quick message to your spouse in traffic. Here’s their top-ten denizens of driving distraction:

Chatting with passengers
Talking on your phone
Texting
Fiddling with the radio station
Eating food
Being “too” into your music
Fussing with driving controls
Grooming
Road rage
Trying to figure out directions

Are you guilty of one or more of these? Take a look at what they have to say about being a little bit safer.

Safe Driving During Graduation Season

Jen — Wed, 18 May 2011 15:08:28 +0000

Graduation time is here! June can be an exciting time of the year for many teens and their families. While graduation is an important benchmark and a stepping stone for the future, it is also the perfect time to remind your teen drivers about the importance of safe, distraction-free driving.Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among American teenagers. The risk of an accident is four times higher for teens 16 to 19 years old compared to older drivers. Fortunately, as a parent, you can make a difference in keeping your teens safe on the road.So before your teens get too busy with graduation season, talk to them about the importance of driving safety and ways they can have an accident-free graduation. Here are five driving safety concerns you should talk with your teen about.

1. Speeding

Excessive speeding is not only costly, it is also one of the top five driver-related errors for teenage driving involved in fatal motor vehicle crashes. Speeding not only worsens the severity of an accident, it also decreases the amount of time drivers have to react to unexpected circumstances, thus increasing their risk of an accident. Remind your teen that even if they are running late, speeding is unacceptable and the amount of time and money wasted if you are pulled over and ticketed is not worth it.

2. Passenger Distractions

Studies have shown that fatal crashes involving young drivers are much more likely to occur when other teenagers are in the car. So talk to your child about limiting the number of teenage passengers in their car to one or two passengers, especially if they are driving at night.

3. Night Time and Weekend Driving

According to studies, more than half of teenage motor vehicle crash deaths occur on the weekend between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Driving at night is not only more difficult for the driver because of decreased visibility, it is also more dangerous because there is an increased risk of driving near an intoxicated motorist. While most graduation ceremonies and parties occur in the evening, you should always minimize the amount of time your teen spends on the road at night. But if night-time driving is unavoidable, always have your teen call or text to check-in, once they have arrived safely at their final destination.

4. Texting While Driving

While constant communication with your teen driver is key to keeping your child safe during graduation season, you should remind your teen to always safely pull-over to the side of the road before they send a text or make a phone call. Using a cell-phone while driving is not only illegal in many states, it also significantly increases the risk of a fatal car accident.

5. Illegal Activities

While you should always encourage your child to abstain from illegal activities such as drinking or doing drugs, you should also be realistic and talk to your teen about what to do if they find themselves in a situation where either they or their ride is unfit to drive. Remind them that they should never drive even if they’ve only had one drink. Consider providing your teen with extra cash just in case they need to take a cab. Visit Allstate.com to create a Parent-Teen contract – a family partnership committing to safer driving.

Avoid Distracted Driving and Arrive Accident Free

Jen — Mon, 16 May 2011 14:03:11 +0000

Whether you are new to driving or an experienced driver, there are many tempting distractions on the road that are calling for your attention. Unfortunately, driving is a task that requires our undivided attention, regardless of how long you have been driving. Between your busy work appointments and hectic family schedule, distracted driving can lead to serious accidents. Yes, it’s tempting to leave work 30 minutes early and take that conference call on your cell, but multi-tasking while driving should be minimized as much as possible. Here are some ways to avoid distracted driving:

Hunger Strikes on the Road

You’re stuck in traffic and your stomach is growling because you skipped breakfast. That donut in your car sure looks tempting.

Solution: The first step to eliminating distracted driving is to recognize the risks. Sure you are hungry, but driving in traffic, especially rush hour traffic, where many people are on edge, requires your full attention and both hands on the wheel. That donut may look tempting, but think about how good it would taste when you can actually sit down at your desk and enjoy it, without the stop-and-go traffic. Drinking coffee while driving is even more dangerous.Think about how a coffee stain would look on your clothes and hold off on getting your daily caffeine fix until you get into the office.

Annoying Radio

They are playing your least favorite song on the radio again! Time to switch stations.

Solution:Obviously in-car entertainment is important and listening to a song you dislike may put you in a bad mood, but that split-second you take your eyes off the road is just enough time for a serious accident to happen. If you are not lucky enough to have steering wheel radio controls, create a driving playlist and burn it on a CD or use an iPod playlist, if your car can sync with your iPod. If you must listen to the radio, program your favorite stations into the presets and familiarize yourself with the dashboard so you aren’t fumbling around for the right station and buttons to press. Also, make sure your music is at a reasonable level. While everyone enjoys blasting their music and singing/dancing to their favorite songs, you won’t be able to hear other motorists and emergency vehicle sirens if your music is too loud.

Your Cell is Ringing

Your phone is ringing and it’s someone calling about something important.

Solution:Even if you’ve taken the same route a thousand times and you are extremely familiar with the road, using your cell phone while driving not only takes your hands off the steering wheel but also distracts your mind from focusing on the hazards of the road. In a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, phone conversations decrease reaction time, travel speeds and increase lane deviations and steering wheel movements, all of which can lead to a serious accident. If you must take the call, use a hands free headset or, when safe to do so, pull over to the side of the road, especially if you are discussing something important.

Screaming Children

Your kids are screaming in the back of the car and you are running late for a doctor’s appointment.

Solution:Distracted driving, especially under stressful conditions, is not only dangerous for you but also other drivers on the road. Angry driving can hinder your good judgment and lead to a dangerous accident. Driving is probably not the best time to discipline your kids, so instead of turning around and yelling at them while you’re on the road, remind your children to behave before they get into the car. Sometimes providing a small reward for good behavior may also help. If they are too distracting, pull over to the side of the road to handle matters so you can keep you and your children safe.

Lost on the Road

You’re driving to a birthday party and you are completely lost. Your GPS is malfunctioning and your map is too small to read clearly.

Solution: Getting lost on the road is both frustrating and stressful, especially if you are under a time crunch. While GPS is helpful, it is not always accurate and trying to read a map with one hand on the wheel is extremely dangerous. Instead of putting yourself in a risky situation, pull over to the side of the road and examine your map. Ask for directions at a gas station if you are really lost. To avoid getting lost, always print out turn-by-turn directions from Google Maps or MapQuest and examine your route before you leave, especially if you are driving long distances. Remember GPS is great, but not all knowing.

Texting While Driving, Even Worse Than Drunk Driving?

Jen — Thu, 05 May 2011 16:24:48 +0000

Car and Driver Magazine recently wrote a very interesting article about the dangers of texting while driving. Everyone knows that distracted driving is extremely dangerous and can lead to serious accidents, but according to Car and Driver, texting can have even more dangerous effects than drunk driving. In their study, reading and sending text messages slowed the driver’s reaction times significantly enough to cause a serious accident. Reading a text message caused the drivers’ reaction time to more than double when compared to drunk driving and more than triple when compared to driving without distractions.

Reading a text message caused the drivers’ reaction time to more than double when compared to drunk driving and more than triple when compared to driving without distractions.

While the results of the study are startling, they are not surprising. While this study may make drunk driving seem less severe than it actually is, Car and Driver noted that they were only measuring reaction time, not the ability to stay in the proper lane or follow traffic rules. Drunk driving is both legally and socially unacceptable. We are all taught the dangers of driving while intoxicated at a very young age and we know that is an absolutely irresponsible thing to do. Texting while driving, on the other hand, has little regulation and there has been little to no outcry over the dangers of this activity. The results of this study are quite grim; however, it should serve as a reminder to all drivers that texting while driving, or using your cell phone for any purpose, is extremely dangerous. Staying in touch with your friends and family via phone is important, but not worth risking your life and lives of others on the road. Remember, if you must use your cell phone or text while driving, pull over to the side of the road and stay safe.

Prom Night Safety: No Drinking and Driving

Brendan — Tue, 03 May 2011 19:52:44 +0000

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. In 2009, about 3,000 teens in the United States aged 15-19 were killed in a car crash and more than 350,000 were seriously injured. While people between the ages of of 15 and 24 represent only 14 percent of the U.S. population, they account for 30 percent ($19 billion) of the total costs of motor-vehicle related injures among males and 28 percent ($7 billion) of the total costs of motor-vehicle injuries among females.In addition to talking to your teens about making responsible decisions, like abstaining from drugs and/or alcohol on prom night, one of the most important issues to be addressed are the consequences of drinking and driving.Because of their inexperience on the road, teens have a higher risk of being in an accident, higher than any other age group. In fact, teens from 16 – 19 years old are four times more likely to crash when compared to older drivers. This risk for an accidentincreases with the presence of unsupervised teen drivers, especially at night.So before your teen heads out to their prom, talk to them about driving safety and give them tips on how to have a safe, memorable and fun prom. Here are five driving safety tips you should share with your teen:

1. Take Extra Care at Night

Driving at night can be difficult, especially after an exhausting night of fine dining and dancing. In fact, studies show that traffic death rates are almost three times higher at night than during the day. In addition to being able to see less at night, your depth perception and peripheral vision are also limited at night. Because of this, you should remind your teen to take particular caution and to always buckle up, use their headlights and avoid any and all distractions.

2. Put Down the Phone

Studies have shown that texting while driving increases the likelihood of an accident six fold compared to driving without distractions. In addition to slowing your teen’s reaction time and increasing their risk for an accident, texting while driving is actually illegal in many states. Currently, 31 states, in addition to D.C. and Guam, have banned texting while driving and in 27 of these states, D.C. and Guam have primary enforcement, meaning an officer may cite a driver for using a cell phone without any other traffic offense occurring.

3. Driving Distractions

While cell phones can be distracting, one of the biggest distractions for a teen driver is conversing with other passengers in the car. While it’s unrealistic to expect as group of teenagers to sit silently in a car, remind your teen that, if they are driving, they should be responsible and focus on the road first before engaging in a conversation with his/her passengers. And if your teen is getting a ride somewhere, talk to them about being a good passenger and avoiding sudden noises, shouting or other actions that could distract their driver.

4. Alcohol and Driving

Many teenagers do drink on prom night, and while you should talk to your child about abstaining from alcohol until they are of the legal age, it’s important also to be realistic. Remind your teen about the dangers of drinking and driving -- even after just one drink -- and instruct them on what to do if they suspect their driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Consider giving your teen extra cash, in case they need to call a cab to get home safely.

5. In Case of an Emergency

While everyone knows to call 9-11 in case of a life-threatening emergency, you should also provide your teen instructions on what do in case their car breaks down or they get into an accident. Consider watching Allstate’s video series on what to do in unexpected car-related emergency.