Attention Parents: Street Safe Event is Filling Up!

July 26th is going to be here before we know it and everything is coming together for this exciting event.

If you didn't know about this and you are a parent of new driver, you may want to read this post.

My friend, Officer Jim Poer and I went down to Wilmington a few months ago to witness the most amazing teen driver training program we have ever seen. Well, we worked out a deal to bring the StreetSafe training team to the Triad.

Here's a description of the event:

Teens and Driving - The Deadly Equation Motor Vehicle Crashes (MVC's) are the leading cause of death for American teens; more so than drugs, guns or disease. In fact, MVC's kill more teens than the next four leading causes of death combined. Despite driver education programs across the United States, 6000 teens die in MVC's every year. It is obvious current programs are not giving teens the experience or information they need to become safe drivers.

In response to this need, the StreetSafe Teen Driving Program was created by a retired police officer. StreetSafe is a hands-on driving program offered to teenagers through S Solutions, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. StreetSafe TDP is fashioned after the Emergency Vehicle Operations Course taught to law enforcement and fire personnel. StreetSafe allows teens to witness and experience the consequences of improper motor vehicle operation, particularly in dangerous situations, but in a controlled environment. As a result, teens will gain the experience and information they need to appreciate driving safely and strive to become better drivers.

Specifically, StreetSafe gives teens the chance to experience losing control of a car, teaches them a realistic stopping distance and the hazards of distractions. It also teaches the dangers of alcohol use while driving. Teens should enroll in StreetSafe after obtaining a learner’s permit or driver’s license and are taught by law enforcement and fire personnel who are certified to operate vehicles under treacherous or emergency conditions. These instructors are all too familiar with the tragic results of unsafe teen driving. StreetSafe is not only directed at teens, but just as importantly, their parents, by teaching ways they can help their teens become safer, more responsible drivers. Parent sessions are conducted by a sitting County District Court judge and the past President of the North Carolina Drivers Education Association.

The cost is only $25 per teen driver and pre-registration has already begun. There is room for 120 teens and it is already filling up fast. You can pre-register your teen by sending an e-mail to streetsafe@zipdrip.com.

Young drivers with a drivers license or permit ages 15 to 21 can attend this training.
If you have any questions, please call my office at 869-3335 or send me an e-mail to tom@teendriverinsurance.com.

StreetSafe Comes to the Triad!

It is finalized! But, you must act fast to enroll!

The Teen Driving program, StreetSafe is coming to the Triad on Saturday, July 26th. This 4 hour event to be held at the GTCC- Jamestown Campus will give teens a "behind the wheel" experience of the most common dangerous situations that cause accidents.

A few months ago, my friend, Officer James Poer of the High Point PD and I had the opportunity to visit the Wilmington-based program in action which is presented by emergency response professionals. We were both so amazed at the effect it had on the teenagers and parents alike, that we were compelled to bring this event to the triad- to help our families make their teens safer drivers. So, here we are. It's lined up.

Here's a description of the program:
Specifically, StreetSafe gives teens the chance to experience losing control of a car, teaches them a realistic stopping distance and the hazards of distractions. It also teaches the dangers of alcohol use while driving. Teens should enroll in StreetSafe after obtaining a learner’s permit or driver’s license and are taught by law enforcement and fire personnel who are certified to operate vehicles under treacherous or emergency conditions. These instructors are all too familiar with the tragic results of unsafe teen driving. StreetSafe is not only directed at teens, but just as importantly, their parents, by teaching ways they can help their teens become safer, more responsible drivers.

If you want to pre-register, send an e-mail to streetsafe@zipdrip.com. We expect this course to fill up quickly, especially considering the cost is only $25 per teen driver. You will receive an e-mail with instructions as soon as registration begins.

So, if you want to better prepare your teen for the dangers they face, sign up now!

Tom

Study Explains the Staggering Cost of Insuring Teen Drivers

Ask any parent who has just added a kid to the family's insurance policy and they'll tell you how expensive it is to have a teen behind the wheel. But the overall cost of teen driving is as tragic as it is staggering.

According to a recent report from AAA, car accidents involving drivers 15 to 17 cost society more than $34 billion in medical expenses, property damage and related costs in 2006. AAA also reports, in 2006 drivers ages 15 to 17 were involved in approximately 974,000 crashes that injured 406,427 people and killed 2,541. Here are more sobering statistics:

• According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among U.S. teens, accounting for 36 percent of all deaths in this age group.
• The risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16- to 19-year-olds than among any other age group, and per-miles-driven teens ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely than older drivers to crash, says the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
• Risk is highest at age 16, and the crash rate per miles driven is twice as high for 16 year olds as it is for 18 and 19 year olds, according to the IIHS.
• IIHS statistics show that 16- and 17-year-old driver death rates increase with each additional passenger.

Parents can reduce the high cost of insuring their teen drivers. There are special discounts that can really make a big difference in how much you will have to pay for your teen to drive. Some of these discounts include:

• Good Student- If you teen driver has a "B" average or better, you can save up to 10%.
• Multi-policy- If you insure your home and cars with the same company, you can save up to 15% on both policies
• GPS Teen Driver Monitoring System- There is one company that offers a 15% discount for installing this unit in the teen driver's car
• Safe Driver- If your family has a clean driving and claims record, you can save up to 15%
• Good credit- Some companies reward responsible customers based on their credit. This can be very significant and can save you as much as 35%.

The bottom line is that the most responsible families will pay the lowest premium. Stress to your teen that avoiding tickets and accidents is most critical to not only keeping your insurance rates down, but of course, assure the safety of your teen driver and others.

You can learn more about ways to save on your insurance and how you can keep your teen safe by visiting my website at www.teendriverinsurance.com/paramount.

Wishing you and your family the best in health, happiness and prosperity.

Tom