Letter From Owner

Dear Parent:
                We certainly hope that your teen will enjoy their training experience with us, and that they will go on to safe driving in the future. However, having been in this business for years now, I am still worried about the actualities of teen Driver’s, and I would like to take a few moments of your time to make you aware of some facts you may not be aware of.
A teenager has an approximate 56% chance of having either an accident or incident (collision or ticketable offence) within one year of receiving their license to drive. According to National Highway Safety Administration:
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for American teenagers.
In 1997, 5,477 young people (passengers and drivers age 15-20) died in motor vehicle crashes. Twenty-one percent of the young drivers involved in fatal crashes had been drinking.
Young people age 15-20 make up 6.7 percent of the total driving population in this country but are involved in 14 percent of all fatal crashes.
In 1997, over 60 percent of youth (16-20) who died in passenger vehicle Crashes were not wearing seat belts.
In 1997, almost one quarter (22 percent) of those who died in speed-related crashes were youth (15-20).
In the last decade, over 68,000 teens have died in car crashes.
Sixty-five percent of teen passenger deaths occur when another teenager is driving.
Nearly half of the fatal crashes involving 16-year-old drivers were single vehicle crashes.
Forty-one percent of fatal crashes involving teenagers occur at nighttime (between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.).
One quarter of fatally injured teen drivers (16-20 years old) in 1995 had a BAC (blood alcohol concentration) at or above .10 percent, even though all were under the minimum legal drinking age and are not legally permitted to purchase alcohol.
2 out of 3 teenagers killed in motor vehicle crashes are males.
          These statistics scare me, and they tend to show that, while we can teach our teens HOW to drive safely, we can’t MAKE them drive safely. However, these same statistical studies show that if a new driver can drive safely for at least one year, irrespective of age, they tend to have developed safer driving habits than their peers. So the question is, how can we help get them through that first year, safely?  

Thank You,

Manish Sondhi, (Owner)

Safe-driving tips for the Holidays

Holiday events and celebrations can be exciting times for family and friends to get together.But, get-togethers with family and friends can turn into tragedies when people are killed or injured in traffic crashes.

As the holiday season is approaching, motorists need to be mindful of actions that will make their holiday travel safer.  Drivers can protect themselves and their
passengers by following these holiday travel rules.

Before you start your trip, make sure your vehicle is tuned up and in good shape for travel.
This is especially important for winter driving conditions.

Restrain yourself and your passengers properly in seat belts and car safety seats.
Remember, the rear seat is the safest place for children of any age to ride.

Be flexible in setting your travel plans.  Leave early if you can to avoid the peak traffic
hours.  If snow is predicted during the time you plan to travel, change your
schedule.  It is better to reschedule your get-together than to risk the lives of traveling
family or friends.

 

Stay fresh and alert when driving.  Take plenty of breaks and do not push your-
self to meet an unrealistic schedule.  If you get tired, pull off the road into a rest area
or business, get out of the car for some fresh air, buy something to refresh you, or
just relax until you feel revived.  If that doesn't work, find a motel or campground
where you can spend the night.  Forty-one percent of fatal traffic accidents are
single vehicle crashes.  These crashes most often occur during the late night/
early morning hours and the late afternoon hours to drivers who are tired,
have consumed alcohol, or both.

 

Keep your speed down.  Give yourself plenty of time and distance to
react to the traffic around you.  Let impatient and aggressive drivers
pass you or go through the intersection ahead of you so that you
control the situation.

Do not pass if you cannot see enough clear road to pass safely.

If there will be drinking at your holiday get-together, choose
a designated driver who will remain alcohol free.

 Because driving requires your full attention, pull off
the road if you have to use your cellular phone.

 

Local Driving School

(877) DRIVE-16

(877) 374-8316

100 deadliest days

Summer Driving: the “100 deadliest days”, and what you can do about it.

            With summertime upon us, who isn’t looking forward to their outdoor barbeques, trips to the ocean or mountains, family vacations, and a little more rest and relaxation? Unfortunately, there is a little known secret revealing the darker side of summer—that accident rates and vehicle fatalities soar, leading some law enforcement officers to call it the “100 deadliest days”

            In fact, the summer months are on average the most dangerous months for driving, with August being the deadliest overall. Why? Mainly because of the rapid influx of teen drivers on the road, with the inexperience and risky behaviors common among that population. With teens out of school, they spend far more time driving to and from work and other social engagements. Considering that teens are proportionally the most at-risk population of drivers, it’s no wonder that accident rates increase. But there’s another element of summer that endangers teen drivers. According to a recently released U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration report, “more than 11,000 teens on average use alcohol for the first time, 5,000 start smoking cigarettes, and 4,500 try marijuana” on each day of summer. Dr. Westley Clark, director of the administration’s Center for Substance Abuse, reviewed a report of over 230,000 teen interviews, and attributes the increase in dangerous behavior to the fact that “adolescents are on a break from school and have more idle time; they have fewer structured responsibilities, and less adult supervision.”

            But there is one final danger also associated with teens and summertime—distracted driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been researching distracted driving for nearly a decade, and in a 2009 report concludes, “The age group with the greatest proportion of distracted drivers is the under-20 age group” with “16% of all under-20 drivers in fatal crashes” being due to distracted driving. Moreover, the primary culprit of distracted driving is text messaging, particularly with touch screen phones. In addition, the UK Telegraph reports that men get in more summer accidents from being distracted by women wearing less clothing.

            Parents and concerned citizens alike can do several things to counteract these dangers. First, parents should be diligent about helping their children understand the fatal danger of risky behaviors while driving. This includes driving under the influence, driving while distracted, whether it’s from texting or talking to friends, and speeding. In addition, parents should particularly hold their children as accountable as possible to not text and drive. Considering the substantial danger associated with this behavior, it’s something to be taken very seriously. Lastly, while this may seem odd in today’s culture, evidence indicates that if men and women dress more modestly during the summer, it will decrease accidents due to being distracted by the opposite sex.

            We in particular at Local Driving School take these issues very seriously. As professionals in the community most familiar with the dangers associated with risky driving, we make it a priority to help educate and prepare our students for the increased risks of summertime driving. We train each student with proven defensive driving techniques such visual search, hazard detection, risk perception, speed control, space management, and driver attitude, and we encourage them to remain vigilant about driving responsibly. Our instructors are well versed in explaining the dangers of risky behavior such as driving under the influence, distracted driving, and speeding, and they connect with students in a thoughtful and engaging manner.

            If you are a parent or a concerned citizen, we ask that you ensure your child gets the best training possible, and we recommend our services to you. We also hope that you will join us in being a conscientious voice helping to raise awareness about these vital issues in our community.  

Sincerely,

The Local Driving School Team
(877) DRIVE-16
(877) 374-8316

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[i] Cohen & Jaffe, LLP. http://www.cohenjaffe.com/Article/Serious-Car-Accidents-More-Likely-During-Holidays-and-Summer-Months.shtml

[ii] US News, July 2012, http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2012/07/03/summer-is-peak-time-for-teens-to-try-drugs-alcohol-report

[iii] National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, Traffic Safety Facts, “An Examination of Driver Distraction as Recorded in NHTSA Databases, Sep. 2009.

[iv] The Telegraph, 2010, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/7917861/Male-road-accidents-soar-in-summer-due-to-womens-short-skirts.html