Teen Driving: Even Concerned Parents Set Bad Examples And Don't Do Enough, But There Is Help

Main Category: Public Health
Also Included In: Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 16 Jun 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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MADSALT announces ways to help parents and teens communicate about driving safety concerns before they drive, when they drive and after an accident.

MADSALT has announced a new audio program dedicated to saving teens from death and injury due to car accidents. MADSALT, which stands for MAKE A DIFFERENCE - SAVE A LIFE TODAY has a different approach to the promotion of driving safety. The educators behind the effort believe the promotion of conversation between parents and teens can help to lessen the risks of driving mishaps. According to Larry Manzi, one of the co-founders, "Parents may be as responsible for teen driving accidents as the teens themselves. They set the stage by example, and some of those examples are not good ones."

MADSALT is currently concentrating their efforts on what they believe is one of the most significant causes of auto accidents, distraction. While everyone is aware that speeding and alcohol abuse are still major concerns, perfectly well behaved kids are getting into accidents caused by "weapons of mass distraction," the cell phones. Kids see their parents use the cell phone in the car, and so they not only imitate the action, they become more distracted by engaging in text messaging and other distractive activities. They do not realize the cell phone triggers a human being to play a "different and distractive movie" in their heads as they look out the windshield of a car, clouding their "driving vision."

MADSALT has observed that teens are so used to seeing "HEADS FLY" in movies and computer games, that driving education videos showing driving injuries have lessened in impact to scare, nor do they motivate behavioral change. In observation of this, MADSALT has created a family friendly twin CD program entitled Dying to Drive? and Driving to Live. It was created to help parents converse with their kids about the dangers of driving and ways to avoid them. It was created as much to help the parents, pre-teen-drivers and teen drivers alike. It was created so people who have had accidents can analyze if one of the causes was something they did and need not repeat. It was created to inspire family conversation. The twin CD program is 9.95 including shipping and handling. It is hoped the next family road trip will help save lives.

Visit http://www.MADSALT.org to learn more or how to obtain this conversation stimulating program, or visit the site for research and free safe driving information.

http://www.MADSALT.org