Let's Work Together to Make a Difference

Have a Conversation

Thirty-six percent of all fatalities for youth (13 to 21 yr. old) are the result of car crashes.

Car crashes are the number one killer and number one health issue for this age group.

If we want to reduce this carnage, keep ourselves and our streets safe, we must reduce crashes.

Over the past year I have been talking about ways to reduce crashes with parents and youth all over Vancouver Island. These "conversations" have led to many useful suggestions from parent to parent and from youth to youth. I would like to share some of these with you.

Parent to Parent

Parents agreed that as a parent, you drive your child to school, sports practice, music lessons, stores, friends' houses, etc. for at least 15 years before your child gets a driving permit. The child has been observing the way the parent and other adults drive. What good or bad habits they have will be picked up by the child. It is therefore very important that adults set a good example every day. A risky driving habit (i.e. speeding, talking on a cell phone while driving, not wearing a seatbelt, running red lights, etc.) that they practice, will be perceived as an okay thing to do by children. This poor judgment on the part of adults may cost children their life when they are teens.

When adults practice a risky driving behavior, they are condoning dangerous driving. Remember, a driving habit known to be risky for adults, with many years of driving experience, is a million times more risky for a 16-year-old novice driver with virtually no experience.

Parents also agreed that concentrating on driving safe and setting a good example for your child and others will not only help teach our teens how to drive safely but it will also improve our own driving habits. The actions you do weigh more than what you say; the "do as I say, not as I do" method of teaching is not an effective one. Adults need to remember that they are a role model every day, so they need to set a good example. Not lead young drivers in the wrong direction.

Youth to Youth

The youth agreed that some risks are good to take and some are just foolish. They call it "Crossing the Stupid Line". We all agreed that it is senseless to drive in a vehicle where the driver is impaired by drugs or alcohol.

The young people agreed that the best time to prevent driving home impaired was to avoid getting into that situation in the first place. They felt strongly that if you were worried that the situation would get out of hand you should just stay home. If you don't want to say "no" they suggested making excuses such as, "I have to work", or "I have to play a sport in the morning". But if you chose to go you should make a plan before you leave. They suggested using cabs or buses, designated drivers, or making arrangements with family or friends who aren't going to the event. They suggested alternatives to driving including walking, biking, roller blading. They even went so far as to suggest it was better to sleep in a ditch, in a bush or in a neighbour's garage than to get into a car with an impaired driver at the wheel.

They felt the hosts of events had a responsibility to ensure their guests arrived home safely. They suggested having a key bucket at the door for each driver to deposit their keys before they entered or a parent could have all the keys tied to their wrist. The keys would only be returned to sober drivers.

The youth agreed that it is difficult to make a good decision when your mind is clouded by alcohol or drugs. The time to make your plan is before you leave home.

I always ask my young audiences how many of them have ever ridden in a car driven by an impaired driver. I am shocked that over 80% reply that they have, what is even more shocking to me, is that 50% of those stated the impaired driver was an adult, a parent, sibling or other relative.

I also ask how many of them have discussed impaired driving and safe driving habits with their parents, and only about 20% say that they have.

That's something we can easily change. Let's have parents and youth, and adults and youth talk to each other. I urge every parent or friend or relative of a youth to have a conversation with them about alternatives to impaired driving. Help them to form an emergency plan they can use if they ever find themselves in a bad situation.

If we want to reduce the carnage, keep ourselves and our streets safe, we must reduce crashes. And we can begin by working together, youth and adults, for

Together We Can Make a Difference.

Joan Parsons

President
Rid Roads of Impaired Drivers

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