(MMD Newswire) February 5, 2009 -- In the US, road trauma tops the list as the leading cause of death for teens. Statistics released in 2005 show that 4,544 teens aged 16 - 19 died as a result of motor vehicle crashes. A further 400,000 teen car occupants received injuries that required hospital treatment. Again in 2006 crash statistics for young drivers 16 - 24 revealed a total of 10,359 lost their lives on the roads.
It's not only the emotional trauma of losing children in car crashes or having them injured, there is also a huge financial burden - teen road crashes cost the US around $40 billion dollars each year. The rising epidemic of teen road deaths worldwide prompted a recent global study by the OECD Joint Transport Research Centre, (now International Transport Forum). Amongst a number of recommendations in their report, ‘Young Drivers - the Road to Safety', they found that increased supervision by parents while their teens were learning to drive and most importantly, just after they had been granted a license, led to a reduction in teen crashes. Countries that adopted 120 hours of supervised driving were able to reduce the teen crash rate by 40%.
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In an attempt to inform and engage parents in the US, AskPatty.com the #1 leading car buying and advice site for women, has just launched a new parent road safety initiative called the PATTI Program - Parents Actively Teaching Teens Initiative. This campaign hopes to show parents there are real benefits to be gained in the active supervision of their young drivers. Most importantly the PATTI Program will give Moms and Dads the tools they need to effectively coach their teens. Being willing to supervise your teen is one thing, but knowing what to teach them is quite another.
Ask Patty President and CEO Jody Devere has teamed up with a road safety educators The Survival Group who have developed a teaching resource specifically for the PATTI Program - their ‘Coach a Rookie Guide'. The PATTI Program is a three stage initiative and asks parents to:
1. Start teaching their teens road survival strategies. Parents can find out about these life saving techniques in the Coach a Rookie Guide.
2. Become a role model for their teens every time they are behind the wheel. Most kids have been driving since they were in their baby seats so by the time they are old enough to drive they have absorbed all their parents driving habits good or bad. Coach a Rookie Guide shows parents how to correct any bad habits that may have crept into their driving.
3. The PATTI Program encourages parents to spend as many hours as possible supervising their teens during the learning phase and the newly licensed stage. The first year of solo driving is particularly dangerous so it is even more important that Moms and Dads keep being involved with their teens.
Ask Patty President and CEO Jody DeVere has a special interest in the success of the campaign having nearly lost her son in a high speed crash. He suffered a spinal cord injury so she knows firsthand the emotional trauma associated with having a badly injured child. It was during this time that she became involved with the United Spinal Association that assists and supports road crash victims. The Association is also one of AskPatty.com's supported charities and Jody DeVere is a member of the board of directors. United Spinal Association is a national 501(c) (3) non-profit membership organization formed in 1946 by paralysed veterans. Their mission is to improve the quality of life of Americans with spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCI/D). Membership is free and open to all individuals with spinal cord injuries and diseases. www.unitedspinal.org
"We're excited by the chance to be involved in the PATTI Program and half the proceeds from sales of Coach a Rookie Guide will go directly to the United Spinal Association" said Jody. Road crashes are preventable and teens must be kept out of rising road death and injury statistics. If parents stay actively involved with their teen drivers they can make a real difference. For more information on the PATTI Program go to www.askpatty.com or www.patti-initiative.org
References: October 2006 Policy Brief - Young Drivers The Road to Safety
Publisher: The European Conference of Ministers of Transport & OECD.
Center for Disease Control & Prevention, WISQARS online injury statistics and reporting system. www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars
About AskPatty.com
The Ask Patty.com, Inc. website and blog is a safe place for women to get advice on car purchases, maintenance and other automotive related topics. Women can shop for vehicles at our network of Certified Female Friendly dealerships across the U.S and Canada. AskPatty.com is a member and 2008 corporate sponsor of the Women's Automotive Association International based in Detroit, Michigan, Board member of the UnitedSpinal.org, Member of the California SkillsUSA.org board, on the Car Care Council Woman's Board, a SEMA member and a member of the SEMA Business Women's Networking Group. AskPatty.com is partnered with AutoTrader.com, NIADA, driverTV, MyCarPage.com, MyAutoLoan, Aware and BlogHer.com.
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An Ask Patty certified dealer is a dealer that creates a safe and comfortable environment where women feel welcome and a dealer that makes the experience of purchasing and maintaining her vehicle a pleasant one. AskPatty.com trained and certified dealers are held to a high level of customer satisfaction for women consumers.
Media Contact:
Yvonne Williams
yvonne@patti-initiative.org
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