Emergencies — and how to better deal with them in the future — will dominate the Association of Manitoba Municipalities meeting later this month.
Manitoba stories
At this time of year, there are more teens on the road as summer starts and classes end. Unfortunately, statistics suggest that teen drivers are also more at risk at this time of year when driving — especially if they are driving distracted. According to a yearly survey by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 58% of high school seniors and 43% of high school juniors admitted to emailing or texting within the past month.
While Florida does not have any laws banning the use of mobile devices on the roads, there is a great deal of awareness about the dangers of distracted driving. Anecdotally, many drivers are aware that distracted driving causes Hialeah car accidents and serious injury. Statistics and studies have also proven that distracted driving can lead to serious car collisions.
According to the CDC, distracted driving causes about 16% of teen car accident fatalities.
Summer may compound the problem. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), summer is deadliest time of year for younger drivers under the age of 20. In addition, car accidents are the leading cause of teen fatalities, according to the organization. Each year, more than 5000 teens are killed in car collisions across the country. In the summer months, the number of teen fatalities in car accidents jumps to 422 deaths monthly, up from 363 deaths, on average, during the rest of the year.
During the summer, there are dual concerns for parents hoping to protect their teens from a Hialeah traffic accident. One factor is that the summer months are already a riskier time for teen drivers because teen drivers are spending more time on the road. Another factor is that teens are more likely than some other age groups to use mobile devices or drive distracted, pushing their risk of being in a Hialeah truck accident or car accident even higher.
The stakes may be even higher, as well. A serious at-fault accident during the teenage years could affect a teen driver’s driving privileges, driving records, and insurance rates for years. A serious car crash can also lead to criminal charges and even a criminal record against a teen – a record that could affect their life for years to come. The trauma of causing a serious accident and injuries or fatalities can also stay with a teen for years to come. Of course, if a teen driver drives distracted and is injured, the Hialeah head injuries, spinal cord injuries, and other serious injuries can affect income potential and life quality permanently.
In addition, teen drivers are still forming driving habits, so it is important to instill the habit of distraction-free driving in younger drivers. Parents of teen drivers can start by having honest discussions with their teens about the dangers of distracted driving. There are many good resources available online and from local police departments about the dangers of distracted driving. Parents can use these resources when helping their teens understand the dangers. A few discussions can help drivers understand the dangers and can help prevent Hialeah motorcycle accidents and car accidents.
Today we visited St. Mary’s College in Morega, California for an event with Girl
Talk: Desire to Inspire.
Girl Talk was founded by one of our Ask, Listen, Learn Superstars, Haley Kilpatrick. The program helps middle school girls build self-esteem, develop leadership skills and recognize the value of community service through working with their peers and influencing younger girls. The Century Council is proud to have been able to work with them for a long time.
We went to St. Mary’s College to encourage the girls at the Julie Foudy Sports Leadership Academy camp to start Girl Talk chapters at their own schools. We ran through what a Girl Talk event would be like and demonstrated the value this program can have for younger girls in their schools and communities. We wanted to be sure the girls recognize how valuable their experiences can be when they take the time to reflect and share, and we wish them all the success with their chapters!
Many parents of teen drivers worry about their children and may even sit down for discussions about Florida drunk driving accidents or distracted driving. While such talks can be great, it is also important to remember that it’s best not to wait until sixteen. By the time your child is sixteen, he or she has been in and out of cars for years. It is important to start having these discussions much earlier – when your teen is a pre-teen or a child. There are many things you can do:
1) Have a list of people your teen can call. Your child or teen may not always feel comfortable talking to you or calling you if he or she wants to avoid a drunk driver. It’s a good idea, therefore, to have a list of adult friends and family they can call for a safe ride home. A list of contacts also ensures your child is safe even if they cannot reach you directly.
2) Create a agreement with other members of your family. Consider creating a formal agreement with your teens or pre-teens and with some adult friends and family. The agreement can indicate that your teen or pre-teen can call any of these adults when they need a safe ride home and they will get one – no questions asked. Have your teen add any provisions they need to feel comfortable with making that call.
3) Sign an agreement with your teen or pre-teen about driving safely. Get it in writing and get it specific so that your teen or child knows exactly what their responsibilities are. It is best to have your child help you in drafting the agreement, to ensure that they understand it completely.
4) Teach your child about pedestrian safety. Children are more likely to be in Florida pedestrian accidents because they spend less time in cars than most adults. Reviewing pedestrian safety rules regularly is important to ensure that your child knows how to be safe around cars – as well as in them.
5) Teach your child about car safety. It’s not just Florida car accidents that are a danger – there are also strangers in cars, cars backing up, and other dangers. Show your child the basics of car safety – how to get out of a car or trunk, how to approach a car, how to recognize when a car or truck is backing up. The more your child knows, the more he or she can stay safe.
It’s not easy being a young woman.
There are numerous pressures on you growing up – you’re expected to be smart but cute, independent but demure, confident but not domineering.
Adding to all this, young women can occasionally be mean to one another. Sometimes, rather than supporting one another, young women try to tear each other down, or boost themselves up at one another’s expense. The idea that esteem for one’s self and among one’s peers is a zero-sum game is one that has damaged the self-image of many women.
That idea is one that Haley Kilpatrick has made it her mission to eliminate. Via her Girl Talk program, Haley tries to encourage older girls to take younger ones as mentors and in so doing, short-circuit the idea that popularity is dependent upon tearing down other girls. Girl Talk also creates a network of support that might not otherwise be there, making sure that younger girls have a wealth of knowledge and experience that they can easily tap.
For that reason, we were very happy to see her recognized as Huffington Post’s Greatest Woman of The Day.
The Century Council has been a close partner of Girl Talk since 2002. We continue to beam as we watch Haley’s program grow, and are proud to support her along the way.
i’m doing a paper and can find plenty of information on TV advertising starting around the 60’s, but any type of information on campaigning and advertising that is non-TV related from earlier than that is hard to find. any help would be great. thanks.
I can tell you one great book. "What Happened" by Scott McClellan talks about how the office of the presidency turned into a constant campaign.