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January 29, 2008
Safe Driving in Roslyn
I attended a presentation last week by Maureen McCormack, a prosecutor for vehicular crimes in Nassau County. She works with the district attorney, Kathleen Rice. One of Kathleen Rice's goals was to reduce the number of drunk driving accidents in Nassau County by making stiffer penalties and by education. The program was sponsored by East Williston/Roslyn Community Coalition for Drug-Free Youth and brought to us by the district attorney's office. The room was packed with concerned parents and teenagers, which I thought was a testament to how much this community worries about the safety of our children.
I was so glad to be there with my daughter so that she could hear these important facts from an impartial source. It's not just her mom that is scared for her safety, but it is a fact that the leading cause of death for people between the ages of 15 and 24 is automobile collisions. According to a letter from Kathleen Rice, "Last year in Nassau County alone, there were more than 100 fatal incidents and hundreds more that caused serious physical injury."
The first point that Ms. McCormack made is that many fatal accidents involve not alcohol, but speed and distraction. Speed and distraction kill. She said that distraction -- fiddling with the radio, ipod, cell phone has become a huge problem for this generation of new drivers.
She told the teens not to get into a car with "that idiot." She explained that we all have at least one friend who is "that idiot" -- the one who takes unnecessary risks, who doesn't think things through, etc. Don't get into that car. Call your parents, call a friend, call a cab, but don't get into that car.
Her advice for dealing with aggressive drivers, was to put your pride aside and just get out of the way. Don't engage -- just let it go. This is great advice for every driver!
She made a very interesting point about the type of vehicle you allow your child to drive. If you buy your son or daughter a powerful sports car that can go 130 mph, there is a chance that they may just test that out. If you drive a powerful BMW or Mercedes, then pass it on to your child -- it may just be too powerful for a new driver. Think about this before you give your teen the keys. It is more important to keep them safe than to worry about their social status. Maureen McCormack said that her son drives a very old Gremlin! He won't be gunning the engine and showing off for his friends, but he will be safe!
We can empower our children to make the right decisions and to drive safely by educating them and by driving by example. Remember, our children are watching us -- drive the way you'd like to see them drive.
Posted by Michele at January 29, 2008 2:59 PM
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