sheriffs telling our parents & promoting educated drivers

Sheriffs Telling Our Parents & Promoting Educated Drivers

• Statement of maturity• Means of independence• Accessibility to social activities• Expands horizons

“The risk for motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16 to 19 year olds than any other age

group. A 16 year old driver is seven times more likely to crash than a driver 25 to 29 years old.”

7,837

National Center for Health Statistics 2003

Michigan

2005

1,682 Fatal crashes

claimed a total of

2,825 lives.

592,671 Reported Crashes

Injured 91,333 People

Michigan

$ 9,366,721,300**Based on 2004 OHSP Statistics.

Estimated

Economic Impact

Michigan

In 20051,682 Drivers involved in Fatal Crashes

362

269 292 307

169

77 78

31

0

100

200

300

400 15-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65-74

75-84

85+

21.5 % - 15 to 24 years old

State of Michigan

• Drivers aged 15-24 were responsible for 138,975 crashes in our state in 2005.

• There were 1682 fatal accidents in Michigan in 2005. Of those 362 occurred when a driver under 25 was at the wheel.

• These drivers represent 15.4% of the licensed drivers in Michigan, but account for 23.4% of all crashes.

Allegan County

• Drivers aged 15-24 were responsible for 1,272 crashes in our county in 2005.

• Alcohol was involved in 80 of these crashes. • These drivers represent 14.12% of the county

population, but are responsible for 26.77% of the total crashes in our county, and 35.87% of the crashes involving alcohol.

Van Buren County

• Drivers aged 15-24 were involved in 921 crashes in 2005.

• Alcohol was involved in 61 of these crashes.

• These drivers represent 14.29% of the county population, but are responsible for 24.89% of the total crashes in our county, and 32.1% of the crashes involving alcohol.

Contributing Factors

National Traffic Safety Administration

National Center for Health Statistics In

sura

nce

Inst

itute

for

Hig

hway

Saf

ety

John’s Hopkins

University

• Inexperience

• Risk Taking Behavior

• Greater Risk of Exposure

Johns Hopkins Center - Injury Research and Policy

The Journal of the American Medical Association - March, 2000

39

86

282

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

16 + 1 16 + 2 16 + 3

Percent

• Habits difficult to change once set

• Young drivers perceive/react to risks differently than experienced drivers

• Strong influences / peer pressure

• How to walk• How to ride a bicycle• How to swim

Important component of the learning Important component of the learning cyclecycle

How to Drive

-Focuses on inexperience

-Provides driving skill development

Drivers Education

Graduated Licensing

• Not readily available to every driver• Limited success in producing safer drivers

• Successful reduction 5-8%

-Extends the learners permit stage-Reduces the risk of exposures

• Identify potential dangers• Understand the consequences• Strong positive influences

Parental Supervision

• Voluntary, non-intrusive, and free to parentsVoluntary, non-intrusive, and free to parents

• Increases parental presence Increases parental presence

• Establishes partnership with parents and law Establishes partnership with parents and law

enforcementenforcement

• Identifies potential problems and presents opportunity Identifies potential problems and presents opportunity

for correctionfor correction

• Enables the enforcement of parental rulesEnables the enforcement of parental rules

Parental Notification System

Always buckle up 93%

Never speed 46%

Never drink & drive 92%

Parents said their kids:

Their kids said :Regularly drive w/o seatbelts 39%

Speed when driving 77%

Drink & drive 21%

• Parents register vehicles with the County Sheriff’s Office.

• They are issued a sticker to be displayed in the top corner of the driver’s side windshield

• Enrolled vehicle stopped by sheriff’s deputy

• Sticker is viewed by deputy who verifies the age of the driver

• Deputy obtains registered number from sticker

• Notification card completed and forwarded to clerk

• Notification card mailed to registered owner

• Constant visual reminder to drivers

• Notification covers ANY driver under 21

• Provides deputies additional enforcement alternatives

• Registered owners/parents made aware of circumstances

• Addresses issues not considered to be violations

• Minimal record keeping

• Impact miscellaneous activity

75% of kids surveyed said they wouldnot tell their parents if stopped by police

• Parents- have additional watchful eyes - know they will be informed

• Deputies- become early warning system - viewed as a partnership for safety

• Public - Making roadways safer - saving lives - saving money

• Young drivers - Learning to become responsible - experienced drivers

Sheriffs

Telling

Our

Parents

Promoting

Educated

Drivers

Program Sponsors:

AAA Michigan Michigan Sheriffs’ Association