Hi Everyone,
I recently co-wrote the Safe Teen Driver Guide with Officer Poer and other members of the Society of Family Insurance Specialist. The purpose of this guide is to help parents make the most of the time while teaching their kids to drive safely.
Driving School experts recommend that new drivers get 100 hours of driving before they take the wheel unsupervised. This course can help you do this but most importantly, make this time most effective. This is a 16 step home study booklet that provides an outline to follow along with practice exercises.
I am offering this $59 guide at no cost to parents that are willing to give a few minutes to answer a short survey. I will also give parents an opportunity to win a $500 college savings bond for their teen driver.
Visit my website to take this survey at www.teendriverinsurance.com/paramount.
Thanks and I wish you and your family a safe and happy new year!
Tom
Monday, January 5, 2009
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
What You Should Know About Your Teen Driver's Education
Hello Parents of Teen Drivers!
Driving Instruction experts recommend at least 100 hours of driving experience for new drivers before driving unsupervised. Unfortunately, the driving schools just can't give this much experience and it is your responsibility to make sure your teen has this much needed experience.
There is a way that you can accomplish this and make this time most effective. To learn more, visit www.safeteendrivercourse.com or watch this short video:
http://www.viddler.com/explore/TomWiecek/videos/7/
My friend, Master Police Officer James Poer said "Parents must take a proactive role in their child’s driving education. Unfortunately, the driving schools simply cannot provide their students the adequate experience needed to drive unsupervised.”
This time in your child's life is a very exciting time and by using a structured teen driving guidebook, you can make this a very exciting experience for your entire family.
I wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving!
Driving Instruction experts recommend at least 100 hours of driving experience for new drivers before driving unsupervised. Unfortunately, the driving schools just can't give this much experience and it is your responsibility to make sure your teen has this much needed experience.
There is a way that you can accomplish this and make this time most effective. To learn more, visit www.safeteendrivercourse.com or watch this short video:
http://www.viddler.com/explore/TomWiecek/videos/7/
My friend, Master Police Officer James Poer said "Parents must take a proactive role in their child’s driving education. Unfortunately, the driving schools simply cannot provide their students the adequate experience needed to drive unsupervised.”
This time in your child's life is a very exciting time and by using a structured teen driving guidebook, you can make this a very exciting experience for your entire family.
I wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
What you Should Know About Insuring Your Teen Driver
Hello Parents of Teen Drivers!
It's been a crazy few months and I know I haven't written in a while. I recently married the woman I love, been traveling too much attending insurance conferences and preparing for the next StreetSafe event (coming in February BTW). No excuse for not keeping up with my postings though.
Well...I have quite a bit of new information to pass on to the parents of teen drivers. To start with, I've been working on some new videos that should help you with keeping your teen driver safe and learn more about how you should be protected.
Please feel free to watch my first video on What you Should Know About Your Insuring Your Teen Driver. This video gives great advice on how you should be protected and is already getting a huge response. I hear it is already #4 on the Google! Please feel free to add your comments.
I truly hope it gives you some valuable information on what you need to do to make sure you're protected and helps you keep your teen driver safe!
Here's the link: http://www.viddler.com/explore/TomWiecek/videos/6/
I hope you and your family have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Tom
It's been a crazy few months and I know I haven't written in a while. I recently married the woman I love, been traveling too much attending insurance conferences and preparing for the next StreetSafe event (coming in February BTW). No excuse for not keeping up with my postings though.
Well...I have quite a bit of new information to pass on to the parents of teen drivers. To start with, I've been working on some new videos that should help you with keeping your teen driver safe and learn more about how you should be protected.
Please feel free to watch my first video on What you Should Know About Your Insuring Your Teen Driver. This video gives great advice on how you should be protected and is already getting a huge response. I hear it is already #4 on the Google! Please feel free to add your comments.
I truly hope it gives you some valuable information on what you need to do to make sure you're protected and helps you keep your teen driver safe!
Here's the link: http://www.viddler.com/explore/TomWiecek/videos/6/
I hope you and your family have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Tom
Friday, October 24, 2008
GPS Teen Tracking Systems- It Can Save Your Child's Life
By Master Police Officer III James Poer
It amazes me when I see kids speeding around town as if they are bullet proof and invincible. All too often, this is why we lose kids in car accidents. Speeding is the number one cause for teen driver deaths and it's because they really don't know better.
Once they get behind the wheel, they think they can control their car at any speed and tend to push the limits. The problem happens when they get into a situation at a high speed and can't react quickly enough. Even professional car racers sometimes can't react quickly enough at high speeds.
When you add speed to any situation, you have what is called the "multiplier" effect. This means that the faster you approach an object, the less time you have to properly react, so the speed of your reaction needs to be multiplied.
So, how can you make sure your teen doesn't speed? Of course, it's up to you to make certain they don't and there is one tool that can almost guarantee your teen driver doesn’t make this dangerous mistake. GPS Teen Monitoring System- In my opinion, this is the best thing invented since sliced bread. This system works so well because the teen understands that if he or she speeds, you will know about it.Here’s how it works.
A small gps unit is installed in your teen’s car, usually under the dash where it can’t be seen. The unit sends a signal to a satellite where it is monitored by the GPS provider. When you teen exceeds the preset speed limit, a signal is sent to you via text message, cell phone, or e-mail.You can log into a special website where you can set the speed as well as monitor where your teen’s car is at any time. You can see how fast he or she is traveling and on what roads too.
Some systems offer other safety features like driving range alerts and driving time alerts. For more information, contact your http://www.teendriverinsurance.com/paramount agent for special deals on these units.
During my years investigating accidents, I have seen the effects of speeding and witnessed the deaths of too many teens. If more parents had these units installed in their children’s cars, I am certain more teens would avoid fatal car accidents.
Officer Poer is a 30 year veteran accident investigator. He is also a parent of 4 drivers. His experience, conviction, and advice are demonstrated on his website- http://www.parentalcourage.com/. Please visit his site often and remain vigilant about your teen driver’s safety!
Original article and more information on teen driver safety can be found at http://www.teendriverinsurance.com/paramount.
It amazes me when I see kids speeding around town as if they are bullet proof and invincible. All too often, this is why we lose kids in car accidents. Speeding is the number one cause for teen driver deaths and it's because they really don't know better.
Once they get behind the wheel, they think they can control their car at any speed and tend to push the limits. The problem happens when they get into a situation at a high speed and can't react quickly enough. Even professional car racers sometimes can't react quickly enough at high speeds.
When you add speed to any situation, you have what is called the "multiplier" effect. This means that the faster you approach an object, the less time you have to properly react, so the speed of your reaction needs to be multiplied.
So, how can you make sure your teen doesn't speed? Of course, it's up to you to make certain they don't and there is one tool that can almost guarantee your teen driver doesn’t make this dangerous mistake. GPS Teen Monitoring System- In my opinion, this is the best thing invented since sliced bread. This system works so well because the teen understands that if he or she speeds, you will know about it.Here’s how it works.
A small gps unit is installed in your teen’s car, usually under the dash where it can’t be seen. The unit sends a signal to a satellite where it is monitored by the GPS provider. When you teen exceeds the preset speed limit, a signal is sent to you via text message, cell phone, or e-mail.You can log into a special website where you can set the speed as well as monitor where your teen’s car is at any time. You can see how fast he or she is traveling and on what roads too.
Some systems offer other safety features like driving range alerts and driving time alerts. For more information, contact your http://www.teendriverinsurance.com/paramount agent for special deals on these units.
During my years investigating accidents, I have seen the effects of speeding and witnessed the deaths of too many teens. If more parents had these units installed in their children’s cars, I am certain more teens would avoid fatal car accidents.
Officer Poer is a 30 year veteran accident investigator. He is also a parent of 4 drivers. His experience, conviction, and advice are demonstrated on his website- http://www.parentalcourage.com/. Please visit his site often and remain vigilant about your teen driver’s safety!
Original article and more information on teen driver safety can be found at http://www.teendriverinsurance.com/paramount.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Home Study Driving Course Helps Parents and Teens Enjoy This New Rite of Passage
High Point, NC — While teenagers look forward to getting their driver’s licenses, their parents often face this juncture of their children’s lives with fear and trepidation. Car accidents are a leading cause of severe injuries and death among teenagers all across the U.S.. Local insurance agent Tom Wiecek, owner of Paramount Insurance Agency, has been committed to changing that trend in the High Point area since he learned three years ago that a long-time client’s teenage son died in a car accident. Wiecek has dedicated his resources for helping families prevent similar tragedy.
His website, www.teendriverinsurance.com/paramount contains many useful tools to help parents keep their kids safe. He also writes a free monthly e-zine, “Driver’s Seat,” for which people subscribe through the website. Recently retired, Police Officer and Accident Investigator James Poer contributes to the newsletter.
Wiecek is also a charter member of the Society of Family Insurance Specialists which is a national organization of insurance agents that are committed to helping families protect themselves through education and insurance protection.
The Society recently released the Safe Teen Driver Guide that was co-authored by Wiecek, Officer Poer, David Evans, a certified driving instructor and other members of the Society.
“One of the most common reasons why teenagers get into so many accidents is that they just don’t have enough experience behind the wheel.” Explains Wiecek. Driver education experts recommend at least 100 hours behind the wheel before driving unsupervised. Driving Schools in North Carolina are required to provide 6 hours of driving time. With the high number of students in a class, it is very difficult for the schools to provide any more than the required time.
“Parents need to take the responsibility to provide their teens with more driving experience.” Said Officer Poer. “This new home study Safe Teen Driver Guide gives parents a tool that can help their teen experience the most common driving skills while being supervised.”
The Safe Teen Driver Guide provides a step by step outline of driving skills and practice exercises that parents can use to teach their teen to drive. “This time in a child’s life is exciting and should be enjoyed by the entire family.” Says Wiecek. “By using this guide, parents can spend time with their child and make this experience most enjoyable. Plus, it gives parents peace of mind knowing that their child is a safer driver.”
You can learn more about the Safe Teen Driver Guide by visiting www.safeteendrivercourse.com, or contact Tom’s office at 336.869.3335 or 866.869.3335.
His website, www.teendriverinsurance.com/paramount contains many useful tools to help parents keep their kids safe. He also writes a free monthly e-zine, “Driver’s Seat,” for which people subscribe through the website. Recently retired, Police Officer and Accident Investigator James Poer contributes to the newsletter.
Wiecek is also a charter member of the Society of Family Insurance Specialists which is a national organization of insurance agents that are committed to helping families protect themselves through education and insurance protection.
The Society recently released the Safe Teen Driver Guide that was co-authored by Wiecek, Officer Poer, David Evans, a certified driving instructor and other members of the Society.
“One of the most common reasons why teenagers get into so many accidents is that they just don’t have enough experience behind the wheel.” Explains Wiecek. Driver education experts recommend at least 100 hours behind the wheel before driving unsupervised. Driving Schools in North Carolina are required to provide 6 hours of driving time. With the high number of students in a class, it is very difficult for the schools to provide any more than the required time.
“Parents need to take the responsibility to provide their teens with more driving experience.” Said Officer Poer. “This new home study Safe Teen Driver Guide gives parents a tool that can help their teen experience the most common driving skills while being supervised.”
The Safe Teen Driver Guide provides a step by step outline of driving skills and practice exercises that parents can use to teach their teen to drive. “This time in a child’s life is exciting and should be enjoyed by the entire family.” Says Wiecek. “By using this guide, parents can spend time with their child and make this experience most enjoyable. Plus, it gives parents peace of mind knowing that their child is a safer driver.”
You can learn more about the Safe Teen Driver Guide by visiting www.safeteendrivercourse.com, or contact Tom’s office at 336.869.3335 or 866.869.3335.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
IIHS Proposes Increasing Minimum Driving Age
By Tom Wiecek, Family and Teen Driver Protection Specialist
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety announced today their proposal to increase the minimum driving age in all states in the US to age 17. Their reasons are solid and should help reduce the number of accidents involving teenagers.
The Graduated Drivers License program that almost every state has adopted has proven to work. Numbers of teen driver accidents and fatalities have decreased every year since its inception. The GDL program basically adds more supervised driving experience for teens and restricts them from driving during the times when risk is highest. However, more than 5,000 teens are killed in car accidents every year!
Although teens and many parents may not like this change, parents should understand that there are two primary reasons why 16 year olds are most likely to get into accidents- inexperience and immaturity. Parents can help their child get the experience by spending time supervising their teen behind the wheel.
Maturity, on the other hand, can only come with age. The GDL program gives the teen more time for experience but it doesn’t address the problem of immaturity. 16 year olds have the highest crash rate and fatalities of any age group and it’s largely due to peer pressure and not realizing the dangers they face.
16 year olds tend to think they are invincible behind the wheel and when other teens in their car urge them to drive fast, they cave into such pressures much easier.
Whether this proposal is passed in North Carolina or not, there are steps parents can take to reduce the likelihood of their child causing an accident.
Get a home study driving course and spend as much time possible teaching your teen the skills needed to drive safely.
Delay the time before your teen gets a full license. This will help your teen mature and give you more time to supervise your teen’s driving. This will also show how serious you are about their safety.
Get a GPS Teen Monitoring System. This will instantly reduce the likelihood of your teen driving dangerously. If your teen knows that you’ll be alerted, they will be less tempted to speed or break any other rules that you’ve set forth.
Talk to your teen about the dangers. Communication is probably the most effective way to make your teen a safer driver. Share the statistics and the most common mistakes teens make. Then get a contract in writing that states that your teen understands the dangers and will follow the rules you have set forth. You can download a free parent/teen driver contract by clicking here: http://www.teendriverinsurance.com/nc-paramount-res.html.
Please feel to comment on this blog or to send me your thoughts to tom@teendriverinsurance.com.
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety announced today their proposal to increase the minimum driving age in all states in the US to age 17. Their reasons are solid and should help reduce the number of accidents involving teenagers.
The Graduated Drivers License program that almost every state has adopted has proven to work. Numbers of teen driver accidents and fatalities have decreased every year since its inception. The GDL program basically adds more supervised driving experience for teens and restricts them from driving during the times when risk is highest. However, more than 5,000 teens are killed in car accidents every year!
Although teens and many parents may not like this change, parents should understand that there are two primary reasons why 16 year olds are most likely to get into accidents- inexperience and immaturity. Parents can help their child get the experience by spending time supervising their teen behind the wheel.
Maturity, on the other hand, can only come with age. The GDL program gives the teen more time for experience but it doesn’t address the problem of immaturity. 16 year olds have the highest crash rate and fatalities of any age group and it’s largely due to peer pressure and not realizing the dangers they face.
16 year olds tend to think they are invincible behind the wheel and when other teens in their car urge them to drive fast, they cave into such pressures much easier.
Whether this proposal is passed in North Carolina or not, there are steps parents can take to reduce the likelihood of their child causing an accident.
Get a home study driving course and spend as much time possible teaching your teen the skills needed to drive safely.
Delay the time before your teen gets a full license. This will help your teen mature and give you more time to supervise your teen’s driving. This will also show how serious you are about their safety.
Get a GPS Teen Monitoring System. This will instantly reduce the likelihood of your teen driving dangerously. If your teen knows that you’ll be alerted, they will be less tempted to speed or break any other rules that you’ve set forth.
Talk to your teen about the dangers. Communication is probably the most effective way to make your teen a safer driver. Share the statistics and the most common mistakes teens make. Then get a contract in writing that states that your teen understands the dangers and will follow the rules you have set forth. You can download a free parent/teen driver contract by clicking here: http://www.teendriverinsurance.com/nc-paramount-res.html.
Please feel to comment on this blog or to send me your thoughts to tom@teendriverinsurance.com.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Tears for My Friends
Debbye, a friend of mine shared this with me and I thought I should pass this on to hopefully, help others.
Tears for My Friends
By Debbye Butler
I have a friend named Jeannette. She had a daughter and a son, until October 1986. Her daughter tested the odds of the effects of alcohol on her motor skills and judgment versus her knowledge about the roads with which she was so familiar.
The alcohol won.
Cindy never saw her 21st birthday. Jeannette, however, has to live through every one of her daughter’s candles-and-cake days — wondering what her daughter would look like now and what she would be doing with her promising life.
I have another buddy. His name is Bill. He is a devoted family man, and until a dreaded October night in 1992, he had two sons and a daughter. Now he has one son, one daughter, and 17 years of memories of a child who will never grow older. Bill, too, had to live the worst parental nightmare possible — a tired teenager with a set of car keys, a can of beer, and an invincible attitude on a late weekend night.
Both of my friends are incredibly loving people and responsible parents. They were looking forward to graduations, a son- or daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. But they have been cheated out of some of the best and most meaningful adventures in life, and nothing or no one can change that cruel, crushing reality.
Maybe you know someone who has lost a son or daughter because of this deadly combination. Maybe it’s a neighbor. Maybe it’s a friend. Maybe it’s someone in your own family. Maybe the children’s deaths were caused by another person who was driving while intoxicated.
It’s hard for me to believe I would ever have personally known one family — much less two — that would have to live through this gnawing, once-it-happens-it-never-goes-away pain. And it’s even more difficult to know what to say to them. Hugs help. But they’ll never replace the hugs from the children who are gone because of alcohol.
When Bill was saying goodbye to his son during the funeral, he did the most loving, courageous thing that any parent could do in a situation like this. With a lump in his throat that must have felt like the size of a softball, he looked out at the stunned young faces of his son’s high school friends. He said he never wanted to have to come to a funeral for this reason again. He said, “Don’t drink and drive.”
Bill told me later he hoped he didn’t sound like he was preaching. Well … I hope he did. I hope everyone listened. And I hope everyone remembers.
© Debbye Butler. Used with author’s permission. May not be reproduced in any fashion without author’s express permission. Debbye Butler is a freelance writer based in Indianapolis, Ind.
Tears for My Friends
By Debbye Butler
I have a friend named Jeannette. She had a daughter and a son, until October 1986. Her daughter tested the odds of the effects of alcohol on her motor skills and judgment versus her knowledge about the roads with which she was so familiar.
The alcohol won.
Cindy never saw her 21st birthday. Jeannette, however, has to live through every one of her daughter’s candles-and-cake days — wondering what her daughter would look like now and what she would be doing with her promising life.
I have another buddy. His name is Bill. He is a devoted family man, and until a dreaded October night in 1992, he had two sons and a daughter. Now he has one son, one daughter, and 17 years of memories of a child who will never grow older. Bill, too, had to live the worst parental nightmare possible — a tired teenager with a set of car keys, a can of beer, and an invincible attitude on a late weekend night.
Both of my friends are incredibly loving people and responsible parents. They were looking forward to graduations, a son- or daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. But they have been cheated out of some of the best and most meaningful adventures in life, and nothing or no one can change that cruel, crushing reality.
Maybe you know someone who has lost a son or daughter because of this deadly combination. Maybe it’s a neighbor. Maybe it’s a friend. Maybe it’s someone in your own family. Maybe the children’s deaths were caused by another person who was driving while intoxicated.
It’s hard for me to believe I would ever have personally known one family — much less two — that would have to live through this gnawing, once-it-happens-it-never-goes-away pain. And it’s even more difficult to know what to say to them. Hugs help. But they’ll never replace the hugs from the children who are gone because of alcohol.
When Bill was saying goodbye to his son during the funeral, he did the most loving, courageous thing that any parent could do in a situation like this. With a lump in his throat that must have felt like the size of a softball, he looked out at the stunned young faces of his son’s high school friends. He said he never wanted to have to come to a funeral for this reason again. He said, “Don’t drink and drive.”
Bill told me later he hoped he didn’t sound like he was preaching. Well … I hope he did. I hope everyone listened. And I hope everyone remembers.
© Debbye Butler. Used with author’s permission. May not be reproduced in any fashion without author’s express permission. Debbye Butler is a freelance writer based in Indianapolis, Ind.
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