Keeping it on a possitive note people! Kosmetiks Loves the Kids!!! Read and support!
Safe-driving advocate Fred J. Cerbini (left) holds a sample bumper sticker that is going to be used by teen drivers at Monmouth Regional High School. With him, are Principal Andrew Teeple and Cerbini’s wife, Lucille.
The National Association of Teens Driving Safely Foundation. It is a charitable organization that is helping reduce the incidents of teenage automobile crashes, injuries and fatalities. Our program is community-based and without cost to the teen driver, their family or the sponsored High School. Every day if you listen to or read the news you know that there is an ongoing problem with teenage driving. Over 4,500 teens die every year in car crashes — that’s 1 teen every 2 Hours, every day, 365 days a year. Another 400,000 are hospitalized — that’s 45 teens every hour, 365 days a year.
“This is about reminding the teen that somebody may be watching them,” said Fred J. Cerbini, 59, who started the Freehold-based National Association of Teens Driving Safely, which is sponsoring the bumper sticker campaign at Monmouth Regional.
Monmouth Regional Principal Andrew Teeple said the school plans to make the bumper stickers mandatory for students to park on school property.
Middletown schools, who also have announced their support of teen driving enforcement, are offering stickers on a voluntary basis to parents. Assistant Superintendent David Healy said people have come forward to use them.
“Some members of the board (of education) are using them, the superintendent is using them, (and) a few people have picked them up,” he said.
Healy said that while a lot of feedback has been given from parents about the stickers, it has been more positive than negative.
But critics of these programs say that although they are benevolent, the stickers raise
serious concerns about privacy and ensuring the safety of younger drivers.
“I just question what benefit it provides,” said parent Jonathan Biggs, 44, of Freehold.
“Let’s say my daughter gets a job and is driving home. Somebody pulls up behind her and goes ‘Oh look, it’s a girl. Oh look, she’s young, too. Let me follow her.’”
The bumper sticker phenomenon appears to be closely mirrored across the country, with everyone from an emergency medical technician in Wisconsin starting up a Web site and related sticker campaign called “Tell-My-Mom.com,” to a CarChip, a device that is installed under a dashboard and stores data such as speed and driving distances that can be downloaded onto a parent’s computer.
In New Jersey, the state has toyed with the bumper sticker idea in a simpler form.
The Governor’s Teen Driver Study Commission recommended in a report released in March that vehicles driven by teens be identified by a method determined by the Motor Vehicle Commission.
Pamela Fischer, director of the state Division of Traffic Highway Safety, said although the intention of “How’s my Driving?” bumper stickers is good, they would likely do little to aid law enforcement. Parents also need to take action if they receive a complaint about their teen’s driving, she said.
“The fact that a school is taking a very proactive stance and tying it in with parking
privileges is not a bad thing,” she said. “But they need to work with their students and families to convey what this is all about. We’re not tying to pick on our teens, but we want them to be safe and survive this most dangerous time of their life.”
Cerbini couldn’t agree more. The father of two children now in their 30s, Cerbini says the bumper sticker program will only be effective if parents reinforce the safe driving message.
“It’s all about the parent,” he said. “Parents have to parent. We’re giving them the
tools to help them.”
Cerbini said when parents sign up, information such as the car make, model and license plate number, as well as a parent contact, are collected. When someone calls to file a report, the call goes to an 24-7 outside agency, MAP Communications, where a representative will gather details about the alleged infraction.
That agency does not have the database with the personal information, he said. The
complaint is only forwarded by e-mail to the parent once it is reviewed by Cerbini or his wife, he said.
Cerbini said although the prank call is a concern, if the call center receives several
calls in a row from the same person, those reports will likely be discredited.
Visit the the National Association of Teens Driving Safely Website: http://www.naotds.com/
