This entry was posted on 2/6/2007 11:18 PM and is filed under Accidents.
What do you think would be the best way to reduce traffic accidents for teens and young adults. We would like to hear from both teens & adults on this topic.
2/7/2007 6:55 AM
Denise wrote:
I think the tips that your website gave are really good tips. We may not want to hear some of them but we need to follow them. Some of the biggest distractions for everyone include talking on the cell phone, eating, reading directions and playing with the radio.
I like to talk on the phone too, but in reality, what is so important that it cannot wait until I get home? We should all learn to pull over to the side of the road to take care of any business that distracts us from our most important mission.
Teenagers usually enjoy cruising around. With these gas prices I don't know how they can afford it. This is usually the time they feel they are invincible, when they have their friends in the car and they are trying to impress someone else. Finding a new way to entertain yourself that doesn't require you to be in a vehicle just cruising around would help reduce vehicle accidents. Reply to this
2/27/2007 9:11 PM
michelle wrote:
hey i think that parents should go with their teens on driving trips especially when new drivers also parents dont start taking control over how your teen drives this distracts them and is most likely to start an argument and cause a wreck.You dont want your new driver to start off with a bad drivig record do you!?! When driving always pay attention to other cars and what they are going to do it will be better than just focusing on yourself ALWAYS be alert to the other cars around you. Reply to this
2/27/2007 11:15 PMSarah wrote:
I completely agree about over doing the back seat driving. You are completely right about paying attention to other drivers. Alertness is critical!!! The only thing I would point out is that it is more important to stay alive than worry about what kind of driving record there is. If you pay attention to the rest, the record will follow. Reply to this
Michelle thanks for your reply. This and all comments about tips are very critical to decreasing driver fatalities. As a parent, I have an extremely difficult time about not immediately correcting driver mistakes. I and other parents need to remember that new drivers are learning the ropes and any additional pressure immediately creates a risk for all in the car.
3/16/2007 3:12 PM
Margaret wrote:
I think it is CRUCIAL for Driver Education to be a requirement of any person who wishes to obtain a license and drive. I'm not from here, but I was shocked to learn it is not required here in Arkansas for teenagers. After months of searching, I finally found a man who is a retired coach from Fayetteville to teach my two sons to drive. They are in the middle of the course right now, and I'm very thankful we found him. His name is Dick Harris and he's listed in the white pages under his regular name if anyone is interested. I highly recommend all parents to have their children take this course! Reply to this
3/17/2007 9:53 AMSarah wrote:
I absolutely agree we need to have the education as a requirement. We are currently doing research on other states and what has worked there. There are only a couple of schools even available in Arkansas, and one of them is not due to start classes until June. The Harpers are doing a lot of research on how to teach and will have simulators available. So another possibility is http://www.drivingacademynwa.com/ We will push for AR to require Drivers Education in the future. The SB196 for Graduated Drivers Licensing is much better than what we have now but, does not include education. If we can get this through the House we will try to get them to add to it next session. Reply to this
3/18/2007 11:38 PMKimma Harper wrote:
Hi, I am Kimma Harper, the managing owner of Driving Academy of Northwest Arkansas. I have extensively studied research and have listened and talked with many experts across the nation concerning driver education in the US. One surprising revelation is that in general, across the nation, students who take driver education are MORE likely to have accidents than students who do NOT take driver education! Why? because there are a lot of bad or even average schools available which are mainly giving students and their parents a false confidence in the student's driving abilities without adequately addressing attitude and thus not adequately preparing them for driving without a parent in the car. Driver Education has to be much more that just teaching skills!
We obtained our license from the ASBPCE on December 7, 2006, so that we could legally offer driver education and do so according to the methods that research has shown to be most effective. We are incorporating four very important components in our program: 30 hours of classroom instruction (required for a driver ed course in Arkansas, but ours will be very interactive and will affect attitude), 6 hours of hands-on driving experience (also required for a driver ed class in AR), guided parental involvement (parent seminar & recommended minimum of 50 hours documented, guided practice with a parent or guardian), and virtual driver simulators (using cutting-edge technology).
Check out our website to see the comparison chart of our school versus a private individual or school trying to operate without a license or any accountability: <www.DrivingAcademyNWA.com>
While I cannot guarantee anyone that completing our program will prevent them from being involved in a collision, I can say that we are basing our program on what has been found to be effective rather than on what is most convenient or what makes the most profit.
My inspiration often comes from Wes King's song, "Life is Precious." Google that title with his name to see all of the words. This song kept coming to my mind on October 20, 2006, when we decided to apply for the school license. At that time, we didn't know about Brittaney Ann, but I know from visiting with her mom, that her life was truly precious! I am determined to do what I can to help save as many precious lives as possible! Watch for our upcoming parent seminars to learn what you can do. Reply to this
3/19/2007 11:02 AM
Margaret wrote:
Ms Harper, how I wish I had known of your company when trying to find a course for my children. I talked to the state police, the schools, even a couple of insurance companies ... no one had any information to give me for driver education instruction. Reading the entry in this blog is the first I had heard of your company. Perhaps your company should get in touch with the police departments, insurance companies and the schools and let them know you are there? I'm sure there are parents out there looking for you. Reply to this
3/25/2007 7:55 PM
Jordan Bolinger wrote:
I met Brittaney once...but for some reason after we met i kept thinking about her over and over again...at first i just thought i was crazy...but then 2 months later when she died..i realized why..brittaney was soooo nice to me. and at the time i was 7 months pregnant and most teens werent okay with that...but she seemed more understanding than they were...i can remember her while we were at pizza junction...she was sweeping the floor and she was so antsy...she was getting ready to go see Jake..and her mom kept telling her to hurry and stop talking but of course she didnt listen and just laughed it off..then she told us she wanted us to call her when my son was born..but we never got the chance..the day after her funeral i went into labor..and i was early. brittaney changed my life..just meeting her that ONE time...she showed me that you can be nice to everyone and be liked by others as well..she was a beautiful girl and now she is a beautiful angel...but us teens need to remember.... 1) life can be taken away just as fast as it began..be careful, your not invinsable. 2) always watch the road while driving NEVER look back for anything..if you need somthing then PULL OVER!!! 3) dont talk on your cell phone! and if you cant handel that then at least get a bluetooth wireless ear piece. 4) ALWAYS buckle up EVERY time you get in the car...it could save your life..and that is more precious than anything..if you think its "un cool" to wear a seatbelt or "not comfortbale then think of britt and all that she went through...and im SURE you will change your mind!!! BRITTANEY is watching you....make her proud! Reply to this
3/25/2007 8:26 PMDab wrote:
Thanks Jordan for those comments! You make some very valid points. The main thing I would like to say to all drivers, teen or otherwise, we need to not think about how uncool it is or how it infriges or your freedom to choose, we should think about the loved ones we leave behind and how they are effected. Yes, a lot of people learned from Britt's death but there are many of us still hurting from it. One death effects so many. We usually don't think about that aspect. Again, thanks Jordan for your comments. We are all very proud of Brittaney and she would be glad to know that many are learning from her death. Reply to this
9/7/2007 8:30 AMBruce wrote:
As the father of 6 week old baby girl, I read Brittany's story this morning with a sad heart. Why did I come to this site today? I was driving down the road here in Fayetteville, AR. I was following a Subaru with a bumper sticker saying to buckle up for Brittany and had the website listed. What was sad, was the girl driving the Subaru was not buckled up (you can see the shoulder strap dangling beside the driver) and while driving she was pulling knots out of her hair and was not really paying attention to her driving. She was however driving about 10 miles an hour below the speed limit, which I commend, because so many people drive way too fast, especially on a rainy day like today.
I have always buckled up, even for short trips to the local store. I know that most accidents happen very close to home, and I hope I never have to endure the pain that Brittany's family has went through. God Bless, and thank you for raising awareness to this important issue. Reply to this
9/12/2007 7:56 AM
Julie wrote:
I have seen this far too many times myself... As one of the founders of the Brittaney Ann Foundation, it is wonderful to see all the bright green bumper stickers around town...especially on all the cars that teens that knew her are driving, and know that those are there to honor Brittaney. When you have an "I buckle up for Brittaney" sticker on your car...the highest tribute you can pay her is to actually buckle the seatbelt and to drive safely. Reply to this
12/22/2007 1:37 PM
Kathy wrote:
Hi. My name is Kathy. I read this article with a very heavy heart. I have not endured the loss of a child. I am originally from Lincoln, AR, but currently live in Oklahoma. Where, it is the law to buckle up. Thankfully! My husband and I are in the medical profession and see all forms of accidents. My husband is a flight paramedic. I work in radiology. I am also a registered EMT. We have seen the worst. Our 3 children fuss at us about being overprotective all the time. (We are anal in wearing seatbelts!) We came up on a wreck one day on our way to the river. We were the first there. 6 motorcycles vs van. Our children saw first hand what we do and why we are sooo adament about their safety. That was unfortunately just a very small taste of what we do. I often wish kids just learning to drive could see first hand, not in a movie or video. It somehow just isn't as real to them until they actually experience it. We love our kids, so to prove it, we will never give up on them. No matter how much they fuss. I don't mind being overprotective. I'm good at it too!!! God bless you in your endevours to work thru this organization. I believe God will bless you even in tragedy. Reply to this
12/23/2007 9:39 PMDab wrote:
Well, the Brittaney Ann Foundation has been here a year. I wish we never had to exist but here we are.
Life has been hard since we lost Brittaney. We miss her very much! I hope we can help other families from having to go through the sorrow that families who lose children do. Hope everyone has a safe and great Christmas.
12/30/2007 12:17 AM
Anonymous wrote:
Hey Brittney I'm sorry I didn't get to write Christmas Dallas is having a hard time. I love and miss you so very much. I wish you were here for 2008 it will be another sad yr for all of us. Keep looking down on us and keeping us safe.
2/20/2008 11:32 PM
Aunt Donnita wrote:
Brittney I miss you so much . I hope you had a good Valentines day up there I know there is a lot of love. I have dreams about you all the time and you hair is so long now and you are smiling with those pretty white teeth showing. I know you are watching over us and taking care of us. I love you and miss you. I will see you in heaven. Love Aunt Donnita Reply to this
2/20/2008 11:35 PM
Donnita wrote:
Aunt Donnita wrote: Brittney I miss you so much . I hope you had a good Valentines day up there I know there is a lot of love. I have dreams about you all the time and you hair is so long now and you are smiling with those pretty white teeth showing. I know you are watching over us and taking care of us. I love you and miss you. I will see you in heaven. Love Aunt Donnita Reply to this Reply to this
4/19/2008 1:09 AM
jake wrote:
Losing a loved one like Brittaney was the most trying time in my life, but i see now why the good Lord took her. So many people have made their lives safer because of Brittaney. Just recently my brother was running down the interstate on icy roads (with his "I Buckle Up For Brittaney" bumper sticker proudly showing). He hit a patch of ice and ran off the road hitting a ditch and a tree totaling his new truck. He recieved severe rib bruising, but walked away because he was wearing his seatbelt. I think about Brittaney every day, but i know she's in a better place right now. She helped everybody that needed help, and she's still touching people every day. Reply to this
7/16/2008 7:16 PM
Jordan Bolinger wrote:
Hey Brittaney...everyone misses you so much and we think about you every single day. i can still remember those bright red shoes you wore wile you were sweeping the floor at work and you could not stop smiling....i cant wait to see you up in heaven. you have changed so many lives its unreal and i hope you know we all love you so much.... Reply to this
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