“I didn’t know that drivers who text are twice as likely to die in a crash than drunk drivers are,” said P.J. Zirkle. She and her son were among more than 100 people who came to the Feb. 19 Start Smart class at Point Loma High School.
The California Highway Patrol’s Start Smart supplements what’s taught in driver education courses and includes tips to help parents become better driving teachers.
“When you’re riding with your child, take notes,” CHP officer Jake Sanchez told the group. “If they make a minor mistake, don’t yell at them. Write it down and talk about it when you get home. That’s called ‘commentary driving.’”
Sophomore Anna Regula likes the idea of commentary driving. “When my older sister was learning to drive, sometimes my mom would freak out if she drove just two miles an hour over the speed limit,” Regula said. “Now, my mom will keep calm. I won’t get nervous in the car. We can discuss my mistakes later, at home.”
Regula’s mother, Josefina, laughed, saying she’ll be a better driving teacher this time around: “In our home we have a rule: Mom, don’t yell. I am going to practice that in the car.”
During the class, Sanchez went over the requirements for getting a provisional license, which include driving at night and in the rain. “My mom would hang onto the dashboard like I was going to wreck the car,” parent Renatte Adler said. “Driving in bad weather? That’s something you’re very fearful about. But if you don’t practice with your kids, they don’t learn how.” Sanchez also reviewed the primary factors that cause crashes for young drivers: texting, speeding, drowsy driving, and impaired driving. “Alcohol and marijuana can get you arrested for DUI,” he said. “You need to think about prescription drugs, too. When it says not to operate heavy machinery on the pill bottle … even when you have a prescription, using medicine can result in a DUI arrest.” Sanchez explained that more teens and young adults die from crashes than any other cause. Seventeen-year-old Max Adler has been doing some online training to prepare for getting his permit. “I hadn’t heard the statistics on teen deaths. It’s kind of shocking,” he said.
Sanchez showed a video of a driver who flew his car over a sharp rise while a friend captured the jump on video. The video ended with a horrific fatal crash. Sanchez said showing off for friends is another contributing factor in many crashes.
Sophomore Konrad Zirkle’s reaction? “It’s just not worth it to screw around when you’re driving.”
Start Smart participants also received information on San Diego’s Social Host Ordinance. “That law holds party hosts responsible when there’s underage drinking at parties,” said Karen Lenyoun of the North City Prevention Coalition. “Several moms and dads stayed after the Start Smart class to find out more about the law,” Lenyoun said. “They asked about preventing other problems – besides drunk driving – that stem from underage drinking.”
The class is just part of Point Loma High’s unique program for new drivers.
“The school forms a parent committee each year dedicated to organizing and developing the safe driving curriculum,” said Conni Campbell, professor of education at Point Loma Nazarene University. “The parents researched available programs and Start Smart is our initial offering.”
The students took an on-line survey before and after the session to measure their perceptions and attitudes.
“Later in the school year the same students will participate in a different follow-up program,” Campbell said. “It’s designed around a ‘close to home’ Point Loma community tragedy that the students may more closely identify with.”
After that, the students will take the survey a third time.
Campbell says the researchers will measure whether students’ attitudes and perceptions were changed by Start Smart and by the follow-up program. And finally, whether student behavior and choices were in fact changed by the overall curriculum.
There will be another session at Point Loma High on April 9. Parents can look for details in the regular e-mail messages from the school. Anyone interested in bringing Start Smart to other schools may contact Karen Lenyoun at [email protected].