Driving While Intexticated

By Jaime Netzer

Last week, I came across a stat that made my stomach turn: Texting and driving is now the leading cause of death among teenagers. At least 3,000 teens die each year from accidents caused by texting and driving, and another 300,000 are injured. That’s 11 young lives every day. A full 58 percent of teens aged 18 admitted to texting while driving. Think about that—if you knew that more one out of every two drivers you passed was drunk, would you ever get on the road again? And it’s not just teens, either: Almost a third of adults admit to texting and driving.

Check out this infographic, and stay tuned—we’ll be talking much more about this trend, and what you can do to help reverse it.

Texting and driving is now the leading cause of death among teenagers.

The Dangers of Drunk Driving

The Truth Brought to Life…..It is the most informative and visually appealing page we have seen about drunk driving dangers. It is such an important topic that needs more awareness brought to it.  The page is made available by teens4safety.com.  Check it Out!

Michigan bans cell phone use for young drivers

Teen drivers will have to put their cell phones away when they’re driving.
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder signed Kelsey’s Law Tuesday, which bans cell phone use for anyone while driving on a Level 1 or 2 graduated license in Michigan.
The new law is named for Kelsey Raffaele, 17, of Sault Ste. Marie, who died in a cell phone-related automobile crash in 2010.
Car crashes are the No. 1 killer of teens, the governor’s office notes.

“This law means a lot to me, both as governor and as a parent of a young person who is learning to drive,” Snyder said in a statement. “I appreciate the efforts of Kelsey’s mother, Bonnie, and family who have worked tirelessly to get the message out about the dangers of distracted driving.”
Snyder signed the law with members of Raffaele’s family attending.
“We should be doing everything we can to make sure beginning drivers are focused on learning how to drive,” Snyder said. “I believe this law will help them gain that experience while reinforcing their responsibilities behind the wheel.”
The new law means police can pull teen drivers over and ticket them if they’re seen using a cell phone while driving.
Teen drivers won’t be punished for using a hands-free system integrated into the vehicle, or using cell phones to report emergencies.
The new law takes effect in late March. The legislation Snyder signed was Senate Bill 756.

Source:  CHARLES CRUMM

sourcenewspapers.com

National Teen Driving Safety Week begins TODAY!

Monday begins National Teen Driving Safety Week, and teen drivers are most likely to get into a crash in their first year of driving. That’s according to State Farm Insurance.
State Farm Insurance now also says that parents’ conversations with teens drop by about 50-percent after they get licenses.
“The two most dangerous things a parent can let a teen get into a car with them is another teen or a cell phone,” says Gary Stephenson with State Farm Insurance.
For Stephenson, cell phones can be the worst distraction young drivers face on the road.
“Teens, since they were four years old, they’ve had them. They’re growing up doing this, so it doesn’t look scary, it doesn’t look like a dangerous item,” says Stephenson.
If used behind the wheel, cell phones can be deadly. That’s something Stephenson wants parents to talk with their teens about.
“The worst thing a parent can do is stop talking to a child when he or she gets a license. Continue those conversations and that helps the changes of the teen continuing good practices,” says Stephenson.
State Farm Insurance suggests parents follow the three Cs: conduct- model the behavior you want your kids to follow in front of them, contract- make a written driving agreement with your child, and conversation- never stop talking to your teen about save driving.
“A teen driver can not possibly be as experienced or knowledgeable a driver that he or she is a 16 as they will be at 30 or 35. You cannot fast track experience, life experiences or know-how,” he says.
Stephenson also says Arkansas’ relatively new graduated license program for teens has saved dozens of lives since 2009.

Source:  http://m.fox16.com/display/574/story/c19e8068658e515aa9da16faa78eaa13

 

Teens Asked to Act Out Loud for Teen Safe Driving

NORTHBROOK, Ill.,  – The Allstate Foundation and National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS) are calling on high schools and teens around the country to participate in the 2012-2013 Act Out Loud program and help teens engage their peers in a conversation on teen safe driving. High schools teams across the country can enter the contest at www.ActOutLoud.org to be eligible for a $10,000 grand prize.

In its sixth year, AOL is a national, high school-based activism competition that enlists teens to raise local awareness about the importance of safe teen driving. This year, teens and their high schools are asked to host a teen safe driving rally in their communities, to raise awareness around the number one killer of teens – car crashes.

“Nearly 10 teens are killed each day on America’s roads and programs like Act Out Loud give teens the chance to take action to save lives,” said Victoria Dinges, vice president of public social responsibility with Allstate. “It’s our hope that by elevating the smart driving discussion in their hometown and reinforcing the importance of responsible driving among their peers, we can save lives.”

The winners of the contest will be announced in May 2013 as part Global Youth Traffic Safety Month (GYTSM). Now in its seventh year, GYTSM engages youth from around the world in peer-to-peer education efforts to address safe teen driving. 

Six teams will win prizes for their Act Out Loud rallies. The grand prize winning school will be awarded with $10,000 to support their traffic safety projects at their high school.

“National Organizations for Youth Safety is honored to work with The Allstate Foundation.  We appreciate the leadership The Allstate Foundation has shown in encouraging and rewarding youth leaders who create Global Youth Traffic Safety Month projects in their communities,” said Sandy Spavone, executive director, NOYS.

To register and learn more about Act Out Loud, visit www.ActOutLoud.org.

About The Allstate Foundation Established in 1952, The Allstate Foundation is an independent, charitable organization made possible by subsidiaries of The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL). Through partnerships with nonprofit organizations across the country, The Allstate Foundation brings the relationships, reputation and resources of Allstate to support innovative and lasting solutions that enhance people’s well-being and prosperity. With a focus on teen safe driving and building financial independence for domestic violence survivors, The Allstate Foundation also promotes safe and vital communities; tolerance, inclusion, and diversity; and economic empowerment. For more information, visit www.AllstateFoundation.org.

About National Organizations for Youth Safety National Organizations for Youth Safety® (NOYS) is a coalition of national organizations, business and industry leaders, and federal agencies who focus on youth safety and health. Through the coalition membership, NOYS influences more than 80 million young people and their adult advisors.  The mission of NOYS is to promote youth empowerment and leadership, and build partnerships that save lives, prevent injuries, and enhance safe and healthy lifestyles among all youth.  For more information, visit www.NOYS.org.

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Contact:

Kyle Donash (847) 402-5600 kyle.donash@allstate.com

Hollywood’s Stars Pledge Not to Text and Drive

More Than Two Dozen of Hollywood’s Stars including George Lopez, Kat Graham, Jordin Sparks, Jonas Brothers and Diego Boneta Pledge Not to Text and Drive

The 6th annual Variety Power of Youth event, which took place Saturday, Sept. 15 in Los Angeles, Calif. was the perfect platform for Allstate’s XtheTXT campaign to encourage young drivers not to text and drive. During the event, Hollywood’s rising stars and others pledged not to text and drive by inking their thumbprints on a Ford Focus car wrapped with XtheTXT messaging and imagery.

Many young celebrities, including Joe, Kevin and Nick Jonas; Kat Graham; Jordin Sparks; Christian Serratos; Diego Boneta and R.J. Mitte took the pledge not to text and drive. Also, sports and Hollywood legends, including George Lopez and Greg Louganis, took the pledge at the event held at Paramount Studios.

Through their activities, celebrities and event-goers spread the XtheTXT message to more than two million people on Twitter and thousands more on Facebook.

“The celebrities honored at the Variety Power of Youth event are inspiring young people to be responsible behind the wheel by putting the phone down,” said Joan Walker, executive vice president of corporate relations at Allstate. “We know that more than 3,000 lives are lost annually because of distracted driving. This simple promise can save thousands of lives.”

The following celebrities took the pledge to XtheTXT:

• Preston Bailey
• Kelsey Chow
• Zachary Gordon
• Kat Graham
• Ariana Grande
• Olivia Holt
• Diego Boneta
• Blake Jenner
• Joe, Kevin and Nick Jonas
• Ashlee Keating
• Aramis Knight
• Katie Leclerc
• George Lopez
• Kodi Smit-McPhee
• Sianoa Smit-McPhee
• R.J. Mitte
• Jillian Rose Reed
• Cassie Scerbo
• Christian Serratos
• Dylan Riley Snyder
• Jordin Sparks
• Elizabeth Stanton
• Booboo and Fivel Stewart
• Jessie T. Usher

Hi-resolution photos, videos of celebrities and event-goers taking the XtheTXT pledge are available for download on the Allstate Newsroom and through Getty Images.

The Power of Youth campaign encourages young celebrities to become involved in philanthropic and humanitarian causes, using their positions in popular culture to motivate others to do the same.

To take the pledge and for more information about XtheTXT, visit facebook.com/XtheTXT

About Allstate The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer, serving approximately 16 million households through its Allstate, Encompass, Esurance and Answer Financial brand names. Widely known by its slogan “You’re In Good Hands With Allstate®,” Allstate offers insurance products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial representatives, as well as via www.allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate®. As part of Allstate’s commitment to strengthen local communities, The Allstate Foundation, Allstate employees, agency owners and the corporation provided $28 million in 2011 to thousands of nonprofit organizations and important causes across the United States.

Contact:

Kyle Donash Kyle.Donash@allstate.com (847) 402-5600

4th of July Deadliest Day on US Roads

Teens make up 10% of day’s traffic deaths, AAA warns

Newser)  Independence Day is no time to forget about road safety, AAA warns. Today is the deadliest day of the year for American drivers, with an average 140 fatalities, and teenage drivers and their passengers account for nearly a tenth of those deaths, reports the Los Angeles Times. Road deaths in the US have dropped to their lowest level since 1949, but preliminary figures for last year show that the number of teens dying in car crashes has risen for the first time since 2003.                                                           

Traffic deaths surge on the 4th of July because schools and offices are shut and more people are on the road, according to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety. The institute’s study of car crashes between 2006 and 2010 ranked Sept. 26 as the second-deadliest day, with an average 129 fatalities, and Aug. 2 the third-deadliest, with an average 125 deaths. A higher proportion of road deaths are caused by drunk drivers on the 4th of July than on a typical day, the institute says. MADD found that 39% of fatal crashes on this day in 2010 involved a drunk driver, up from a normal average of 31%.

Source:   Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff                               

Distractions can come easy for teen drivers

With the technology boom over the past decade, it’s no confusion that cell phones and devices such as tablets present a major hurdle in the success of teen drivers. Items such as smart phones have become necessities for many people, most prominently with teenagers. This has made them one of the primary distractions when it comes to driving. Still, a number of other things can serve to increase risk with teen drivers.

According to a report this week, distractions can come from focus outside of driving. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that a focused mind can easily distract drivers from the man dangers on the road.

These findings are especially crucial for teenagers, who often have a stake in a number of different things. If a teenage driver has other things on their mind, such as relationships, tests, or a recent fight with parents, it could play a role in distracting their ability to locate potential risks while driving. The ability to scan the roadway regularly plays a large role in the safety of a driver, thus the findings present what could be viewed as a major issue.

It has always generally been accepted that an extreme level of thought could have a direct impact on the awareness of a driver, however this research points out that the impact could come with lower levels of thought as well.

The findings from the MIT research team come at a telling point, as automakers and lawmakers are debating in Washington over other aspects of distracted driving. The subject of these debates has been over liability for cases of distracted driving. Lawmakers are pointing blame towards automakers for the continuing development of in car technology such as navigation and stereo equipment. The automakers are fighting back by saying that if their products are restricted, so should portable GPS devices and smart phones.

While arguments in Washington heat up concerning technology and its role in distracted driving, MIT’s research should bring to light what is often overlooked, especially for teenagers. Subjects for MIT’s research ranged in age from 20-69, but the findings certainly would affect teen drivers as well. They were tested with low, medium and high demand tasks such as reading numbers off while driving. For all three levels of demand, concentration on the road was somewhat subjected.

For teenagers, the research is quite telling. What it shows is that more than ever, there’s a need to inform young drivers of the importance of keeping focus on the road. Communicating this importance to teen drivers will only serve to prepare them for the road.

Submitted by: Brooke Kerwin

These Tips Could Save Your Teen Driver’s Life

I found this article today at http://shermanoaks.patch.com and wanted to share it with by blog readers. It is a very great and powerful article about teen drivers!

Traffic accidents are the major cause of teen deaths. Parents who serve as good role models for a young driver can help prevent a tragedy.

For first responders, it’s a scene that has become all too commonplace. One moment an entire family is driving home from a local outing and just blocks from their residence. In the next moment, they’re involved in a horrific traffic accident that either completely or nearly kills the entire family.

After firefighters work feverishly, using the Jaws of Life to pry apart steel wrapped around steel, to get to the injured parties, they often find out that the accident involved a teenage driver. And many of those teen drivers become fatalities as well.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2009 there was a total of 3,081 fatal traffic accidents (these are the latest stats) on California’s highways. Of those, 351 involved drivers between the ages of 16 and 20. Traffic accidents are the leading cause of death among teenagers and young drivers in this age bracket across the nation, and the causes are many, according to the Department of Motor Vehicles:

* Unsafe speed: 35 percent.

* Not yielding the right of way: 20 percent.

* Improper turns: 15 percent.

* Alcohol-related: 5 percent.

An ever increasing statistical bracket is distracted drivers (texting, cell-phone usage, other teens in the car).

In a huge proportion of cases, these fatalities are preventable because they involve unnecessary risk taking, not wearing seat belts and lack of skill. The risk of accidents is three times higher when driving at night and 3.6 times higher when other passengers are in the car.

Although overall statistics for teen-related traffic deaths are down, many of the habits that our teen drivers learn begin at home. As parents, we have more influence than we sometimes know. So these tips, accompanied by some strong parenting, can help make your teen’s driving experience a little safer:

1) Never expect that your teen driver is going to learn everything from driver’s training courses. They need practice, and lots of it! Schedule times for them to drive, first in unpopulated areas, and then when you’re comfortable, heavier traffic areas.

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2) The fruit never falls far from the tree. If you drive like an idiot, then what do you expect from your teen? They need a strong role model who can explain, not only how, but why you do the things you do. Use a lot of teachable moments.

3) Always insist on using seat belts at all times! This is something that should be taught to them almost from birth. Remember, “Click It or Ticket.”

4) Limit nighttime driving and additional passengers in the car. You know when your teen driver is ready to take on more responsibility. There’s no rush to drive at night.

5) “Take this phone and shove it!” Need I say more? Put them in the trunk, keep them in the back seat, and remove any temptation to text or talk on the phone. And you can’t keep constantly calling them to ask their whereabouts if this tip is going to work.

6) Drinking and driving is a no-brainer. It’s unacceptable and should be subject to severe consequences if the law doesn’t have its way with your teen first

Michigan’s Graduated Driver’s License Level 2 Restrictions Change

Graduated Driver’s License Level 2 Restrictions will take effect on March 30, 2011. The law will add the following new requirements:

Prohibit a driver with a Level 2 graduated driver’s license (GDL) from operating a motor vehicle carrying more than one passenger who is under 21 years of age, unless:
a. passengers are members of the driver’s immediate family, or
b. travel is to or from school or a school-sanctioned event.

In addition, the nighttime restriction has been extended to 10:00 p.m. from the original midnight starting time. The new nighttime restriction is from 10:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m unless driving to or from employment.

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Both of these restrictions remain for the duration of the Level 2 graduated driver’s license.

The sanctions for violating these new provisions are:
A civil infraction is entered and 2 points are added to the driving record.
Notice of the civil infraction shall be sent to a designated parent or guardian.
GDL Level 2 period is extended for 12 months.
A driver reexamination will be scheduled with possible license suspension and/or additional restrictions imposed.

For additional information, please visit the Michigan Department of State website at http://www.Michigan.gov/sos. You may also contact us by telephone at (517) 241-6850 or by email at DriverEd@Michigan.gov.