Are the insurance companies correct in wanting the minimum driving age increased to seventeen?
LAUREL, Md., Sept. 11, 2008 — Insurance companies have upped their efforts to increase the minimum driving age across the country. Why? In 2006, 3,490 drivers age 15-20 died in car crashes. High school teens, age 15-17, were involved in 974,000 crashes nationwide and 406,427 involved injuries, and the economic impact of those accidents was over $40 billion. Should we raise the age to 17 or is it supervision that is needed? Parents are aware of their teens' driving habits when they are in the car but what happens when a teen is given keys to the car and the parents are not with them?
Fleet operators have dealt with this problem for years. Numerous studies, conducted by insurance companies on fleets, have shown when drivers display a "How's My Driving?" sign on their vehicles, drivers feel like they are being watched, drive more safely and act more responsibly. This simple process of providing a method of reporting driving resulted in a reduction of 22% in vehicle crashes and a 52% in crash related costs after just one year. Fleet companies have embraced these statistical facts for many years and these same efforts are now being put forth by Text Them In, Inc. to reduce the accident rates of teenage drivers.
When parents enroll their vehicles at they will receive a bumper sticker from Text Them In, Inc. that is placed on the bumper of the vehicle their teen drives. If the vehicle is reported driving dangerously or aggressively, parents will instantly receive a text message and/or email notifying them that their vehicle has been reported driving in an unsafe manner, providing the location and details of the incident. They can then immediately contact the teen, take corrective action and rectify the teen's behavior.
Why text messaging? There is a great need for instant notification if other drivers witness unsafe driving. Text messaging is the only way to immediately notify parents if their teens are observed driving aggressively. All other call-in "How's My Driving?" programs take hours or days for the owner to be notified.
Text Them In, Inc. does not condone text messaging while driving and considers this irresponsible driving that should be reported.
To encourage participation Text Them In, Inc. is also offering a financial incentive for schools and organization to get parents to enroll their teens in this safety program. When parents enroll their vehicles with Text Them In, Inc., through their school or youth organization, 50% of the annual enrollment fee of $48 will be donated back to the school or organization.
The company plans to implement this program nationwide within the coming months and hopes to finally bring a solution to the problem of unsafe and unsupervised teenage driving.
Contact:
Alvin Butler, Sr., President/CEO
Text Them In, Inc.
Email
toll-free: 866-617-8701
in Maryland and Washington, DC: 301-617-4260
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