My views on Teen Driving…

Toward the end of 2008 I was contacted by a teen, a student from a high school in Atlanta, Georgia, to answer nine questions in regards to a report she was doing on Teen Driving. Here are the questions, followed by my answers:

Dear Ms. Zech,

In your research in the driving safety, I am writing to ask for your valued opinion on the safety of teenage driving. I am a junior at Warner Robins High School, and as an assignment, I am required to seek information from an authority on teenage driving. I will greatly appreciate it if you will take the time to answer the following questions to the best of your ability and have them completed by the fourth of February (09) since I have a set deadline.

Your expert opinion on teenage driving will add credibility to my research and is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
L. Franklin

Dear Lauren,
Thank you very much for contacting me – I’d be happy to answer your questions. .

In answer to:
1) What is the one driving danger or distraction for teen drivers that you hear most about today?

My Answer: I understand that you are asking for the “top” distraction, but may I answer it with the top “two” distractions – the distraction of cell phones (talking on a cell or text messaging) – the 2nd, the distraction of friends in the vehicle. The use of cell phones, whether talking or texting, has been proven to be a “deadly distraction” – it’s been compared to being under the influence of 2 to 3 beers. Friends in the vehicle: it’s found, for every friend you put in your vehicle, you increase the danger of having a tragic collision. More friends – more reckless…a tendency to show-off.

2) Do you think that sixteen year olds are ready to be driving by themselves?
My Answer: 16 year old drivers? Well, because of what we see. We would rather the age limit be 18 years of age to drive a vehicle, but it greatly depends on the maturity level of the teen. There are some teens that actually wait until they’re eighteen, sometimes even older. Some teens are more mature than others. But 18 seems to be the age when there’s a maturity level to make better decisions behind the wheel. Then again, even older drivers make poor choices.

3) What is your oppinion on Joshua’s Law? Should teenagers be required to participate in this program?

My Answer: Joshua’s Law is the same law in California we call a “Provisional driver’s license” carrying restrictions during the first year of driving under 18. Both laws are designed to increase your chances of survival behind the wheel through “experience.” The more “behind the wheel experience” – the better the driver to handle various situations they encounter. Your law requires 40 hours of supervised driving, California law requires 50 hours. I highly recommend teens take full advantage of this law if they want to increase their chances of survival during their teenage years of driving and beyond. Both laws require experience driving at night. Teens are more apt to be involved in a collision during the evening hours. Thanks to our law in California we saw a 24% drop in deaths among teen drivers.

4) Would raising the driving age make them any less the novice with their maturation? Explain.

My Answer: It’s assumed the older the wiser…the older, the more mature your decision making. But every teen is different. Some teens recognize for themselves whether they’re ready to handle driving at age 16, 17 or 18. Especially as they see their younger friends killed and/or injured in crashes due to reckless driving. This often makes many teens realize how precious and fragile life is – thus becoming more responsible.

5) Describe some of the carnage you have witnessed on the job or you have heard about, dealing with teenage drivers.

My Answer: Speed and/or driving under the influence – those are major factors in the crashes I’ve seen. In October of 2004 we had a crash involving three 17-year-olds males. All had been drinking as they celebrated the birthday of one of teens turning 17. In the evening hours they caused a minor collision then raced off to avoid being caught. While racing away they ran a red light and were struck broadside by a large truck who had the green light. In the impact the 17 year-old, whose birthday they were celebrating, was ejected. Due to their speed this caused a sling-shot effect thrusting the teen head first into a fire hydrant at the corner. Fire hydrants are made to break off at the base making them easier to repair when a vehicle runs into it – but in this case, the teen knocked over the fire hydrant with his head. Without getting too graphic in print – it basically knocked off the top of his head above his eyebrows and was of course killed.

Quite often, in crashes involving speed/street racing, these crashes often result in occupants being crushed beyond recognition. A recent crash involved an 18 year-old losing control, going off the roadway into trees and his car bursting into flames – the impact killed him first – not the resulting fire.

*What people don’t realize – vehicles are made for transportation only – not crashing. Only NASCARS are built for crashing. For every 10mph -this is equal to a one-story fall impact. An 80mph crash is equal to an 8 story fall. For every 10 mph over 50mph – you’ve doubled your chances of dying in a crash.

6) Do you think that better traffic safety laws should be enforced?

My Answer: All laws, especially traffic laws, are made for the “safety” of all motorists and pedestrians. When a problem (causing injury & death) is recognized – a law is made to stop this problem from causing more injury and death. When we ignore these laws – the result is either a citation, a collision, possible injury or death. We passed the cell phone law in California after traffic collision investigations found 60% of our crashes were cell phone related.

7) Before my accident, I thought, I won’t ever get in a car accident. That won’t ever happen to me. Do you think that most new inexperienced teen drivers are thinking the same thing?

My Answer: Exactly. I keep hearing people say teens think they’re invincible. But no matter what age, although we hear of others being involved in crashes, we never think it will happen to us – until it does. For teens, despite hearing about other teens being involved in crashes and dying, they think “they’ll” do better at handling a speeding vehicle – or “they’ll” be different and can handle drinking and driving – that shows immaturity with youth. But, I also see that same type of thought process among adults.

8) If there is one thing you would want all teen drivers to know, what would it be?

My Answer: One thing? Hmmm – sorry, how about one long statement. What I would tell teens is what I’ve seen and what I’ve experienced in my work -and in my own family.

REMEMBER the following: The number one cause of death for teens is traffic collisions. But most will die as passengers. Think of your life, your safety. NEVER get into a car with someone who is reckless, sleepy or under the influence of any drug, especially alcohol. ANY amount of alcohol consumed, no matter what age, should be considered dangerous behind the wheel. Remember that alcohol is a drug – a depressant. On the very first sip of alcohol it’s in your blood system within 6 seconds – immediately impairing your reaction time and judgment. Two important things you need to be a good driver…or operate any machinery.

Don’t risk and/or ruin your life like others before you – STAY AWAY FROM ALL DRUGS. You only have one brain and one body – protect them.

The worse vehicle to drive: motorcycles! No protection except a full helmet. But, if you strike an object with your torso you will most likely die, lose a limb or become paralyzed. To increase your chances of survival – follow laws made for your safety – wear your seat belts and be 100% alert behind the wheel. Also realize that being sleepy behind the wheel is just as dangerous as driving under the influence. Both conditions cause “fixation” – as you look at an object, a tree or bicyclist, you’ll drive right into that object without realizing it. The most dangerous of all roadway areas “intersections” – this is due to red light runners and STOP sign runners. In working for a police and fire department – our number one 9-1-1 call – “traffic collisions”. Be alert – be safe! Most of the collisions EMS respond to occur at intersections.

The dangers I’ve seen are professional and personal – my father was killed as a pedestrian by a DUI driver on June 5, 1992 – so I know what it’s like to lose someone you love. (The DUI driver was a 23 year-old man – it was his 4th DUI arrest when he killed my father and was sentenced to a mere 4 years in prison.) Then on February 10, 2005 my daughter was hit by a DUI driver. But, because my daughter was alert and saw her coming she was able to steer away from a “direct side impact” and suffered minor injuries. (This DUI driver was a 17 year-old female driver, with no license or insurance. This DUI driver is now prevented from getting a driver’s license until age 21.) A year after this crash my daughter graduated from paramedic school, and a month later married a young man she met prior to paramedic prep school. Both are paramedics and love their jobs. Saving lives runs in the family.

9) Should Driver’s Ed be offered in school?

My Answer: YES! Some teens wait until they’re 18 so they don’t have to take a driver education course. That is most often a fatal mistake. That means they have little or no experience when it comes to driving. A driver education course should be mandatory. Videos and experienced speakers, like myself and law enforcement, can make a big difference in educating teens on the real dangers of our roadways.

I’m very passionate about saving lives – so my answers were probably longer than you wanted. But I hope my information is helpful.

One more comment – as parents, we’d like to see our children grow up to achieve their goals, career and/or marry. I’ve met many-many-many parents who never got to see their children get past their teens due to deaths involving traffic collisions. Losing a child is one of the worst things a person can experience.

Thank you very much for contacting me. I am honored you contacted me. I hope my answers provide an eye-opening impact in “driving home” the message. Below is some additional data on Teen Driving.

Most Sincerely & Stay Safe,

Monica Zech

Here is some research information regarding teen driving:

First note the following research:

Crash patterns for teen drivers are alarming. Studies regularly show that:

• Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death among teens in the United States. In California alone, nearly 20,000 teen drivers are injured or killed every year.
• Teen drivers are in a far higher proportion of crashes than expected, given their relatively small percentage of the entire driving population.
• Teen fatal crashes take place far more commonly during late night hours than expected, given their relatively limited nighttime driving.
• Teen passengers are at a far greater risk in vehicles driven by other teen drivers than in vehicles driven by older, more experienced drivers.

CERT – The East County Community Emergency Response Team – 2010 Schedule Posted

FREE training is available through CERT. To see the CERT schedule for 2010 please visit the El Cajon Fire website.  Due to a great community response our 2010 CERT academies are both full.  Please click on the CERT Council link below for another CERT program near you.

• Or go directly to our new East County CERT website – East County CERT
• There are other CERT classes available in the county! To find another CERT class please click here – CERT Council

CERT is a positive and realistic approach to emergency and disaster situations where citizens may initially be on their own and their actions can make a difference. While people will respond to others in need without the training, one goal of the CERT program is to help them do so effectively and efficiently without placing themselves in unnecessary danger.

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Key Points

Cigarette smoking causes 87 percent of lung cancer deaths and is responsible for most cancers of the larynx, oral cavity and pharynx, esophagus, and bladder (see Question 1).

Secondhand smoke is responsible for an estimated 3,000 lung cancer deaths among U.S. nonsmokers each year (see Question 2).

Tobacco smoke contains thousands of chemical agents, including over 60 substances that are known to cause cancer (see Question 3).

The risk of developing smoking-related cancers, as well as noncancerous diseases, increases with total lifetime exposure to cigarette smoke (see Question 4).

Smoking cessation has major and immediate health benefits, including decreasing the risk of lung and other cancers, heart attack, stroke, and chronic lung disease (see Question 5).

Tobacco use, particularly cigarette smoking, is the single most preventable cause of death in the United States. Cigarette smoking alone is directly responsible for approximately 30 percent of all cancer deaths annually in the United States

(1). Cigarette smoking also causes chronic lung disease (emphysema and chronic bronchitis), cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cataracts. Smoking during pregnancy can cause stillbirth, low birthweight, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and other serious pregnancy complications

(2). Quitting smoking greatly reduces a person’s risk of developing the diseases mentioned, and can limit adverse health effects on the developing child.

What are the effects of cigarette smoking on cancer rates? – Answer: Cigarette smoking causes 87 percent of lung cancer deaths

(1). Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women (3). Smoking is also responsible for most cancers of the larynx, oral cavity and pharynx, esophagus, and bladder. In addition, it is a cause of kidney, pancreatic, cervical, and stomach cancers (2, 4), as well as acute myeloid leukemia (2).

Are there any health risks for nonsmokers?

The health risks caused by cigarette smoking are not limited to smokers. Exposure to secondhand smoke, or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), significantly increases the risk of lung cancer and heart disease in nonsmokers, as well as several respiratory illnesses in young children (5).

(Secondhand smoke is a combination of the smoke that is released from the end of a burning cigarette and the smoke exhaled from the lungs of smokers.)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Institute of Environmental Health Science’s National Toxicology Program, and the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have all classified secondhand smoke as a known human carcinogen – a category reserved for agents for which there is sufficient scientific evidence that they cause cancer (5, 6, 7).

The U.S. EPA has estimated that exposure to secondhand smoke causes about 3,000 lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers and is responsible for up to 300,000 cases of lower respiratory tract infections in children up to 18 months of age in the United States each year (5).

For additional information on ETS, see the NCI fact sheet Environmental Tobacco Smoke, which can be found at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Tobacco/ETS on the Internet.

What harmful chemicals are found in cigarette smoke?

Cigarette smoke contains about 4,000 chemical agents, including over 60 carcinogens (8).

In addition, many of these substances, such as carbon monoxide, tar, arsenic, and lead, are poisonous and toxic to the human body. Nicotine is a drug that is naturally present in the tobacco plant and is primarily responsible for a person’s addiction to tobacco products, including cigarettes. During smoking, nicotine is absorbed quickly into the bloodstream and travels to the brain in a matter of seconds. Nicotine causes addiction to cigarettes and other tobacco products that is similar to the addiction produced by using heroin and cocaine (9).

How does exposure to tobacco smoke affect the cigarette smoker?

Smoking harms nearly every major organ of the body (2). The risk of developing smoking-related diseases, such as lung and other cancers, heart disease, stroke, and respiratory illnesses, increases with total lifetime exposure to cigarette smoke (7). This includes the number of cigarettes a person smokes each day, the intensity of smoking (i.e., the size and frequency of puffs, the age at which smoking began, the number of years a person has smoked, and a smoker’s secondhand smoke exposure.

How would quitting smoking affect the risk of developing cancer and other diseases?

Smoking cessation has major and immediate health benefits for men and women of all ages. Quitting smoking decreases the risk of lung and other cancers, heart attack, stroke, and chronic lung disease. The earlier a person quits, the greater the health benefit. For example, research has shown that people who quit before age 50 reduce their risk of dying in the next 15 years by half compared with those who continue to smoke (3). Smoking low-yield cigarettes, as compared to cigarettes with higher tar and nicotine, provides no clear benefit to health (2). For additional information on quitting smoking, see the NCI fact sheet Questions and Answers About Smoking Cessation, which can be found at www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Tobacco/cessation on the Internet.

What additional resources are available?

For additional information about cancer or tobacco use, call 1-800-4-CANCER or visit the NCI’s Web site about tobacco at http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/tobacco on the Internet.

For help with quitting smoking, call NCI’s smoking cessation quitline at 1-877-44U-QUIT or visit NCI’s smoking cessation Web site at http://www.smokefree.gov on the Internet.

Information about the health risks of smoking is also available from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office on Smoking and Health (OSH) at 1-800-CDC-1311 (1-800-232-1311) or via their Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco on the Internet.

Selected References

Ries LAG, Eisner MP, Kosary CL, et al. (eds). SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2001, National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD, 2004 (http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2001).

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2004.

American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts and Figures 2004. Atlanta, GA: American Cancer Society, 2004.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Targeting Tobacco Use: The Nation’s Leading Cause of Death. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2003.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders. Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1992.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Report on Carcinogens: Tenth Edition. Research Triangle Park, NC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Toxicology Program, 2002.

International Agency for Research on Cancer. Tobacco Smoke and Involuntary Smoking. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, Vol. 83. Lyon, France, 2004.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tobacco Use in the United States. Retrieved September 30, 2003, from: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/overview/tobus_us.htm.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Nicotine Addiction: A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, Center for Health Promotion and Education, Office on Smoking and Health, 1988.

Related Resources
Publications (available at http://www.cancer.gov/publications)

Cigars

6 Things You Should Know About Cigar Smoking
From Terry Martin,

Your Guide to Smoking Cessation

The Health Hazards of Smoking Cigars

It’s a common misconception that cigar smoking is less dangerous than cigarette smoking. The truth of the matter is that cigars are dangerous and every bit as deadly as cigarettes. However, because upwards of 75 percent of cigar smokers are occasional smokers, they are generally exposed to smaller quantities of the poisons and carcinogens present in cigars than cigarette smokers are with their cigarettes. It’s because of this that there are fewer instances of disease and fatality due to cigar smoking.

6 Facts You Should Know About Cigars

1. One cigar may contain as much tobacco as an entire pack of cigarettes.

A single cigarette usually contains less than a gram of tobacco, while cigars, which vary in size and shape, can have between 5 and 17 grams of tobacco.

2. Cigars are Addictive.

The amount of nicotine in a single cigar is many times greater than what is found in a cigarette.

A typical cigarette contains approximately 8 milligrams of nicotine, while an average cigar has between 100 and 200 milligrams of nicotine, and some have upwards of 400 milligrams. Cigar smoke is more alkaline than cigarette smoke. It readily breaks down in saliva, allowing the smoker to easily absorb nicotine through the lining of the mouth in quantities sufficient to cause addiction.

3. Cigar smoke is more concentrated and toxic than cigarette smoke.

ETS from cigar smoke varies from that of cigarette smoke for a couple of reasons. First, the manufacturing process for cigars requires a fermentation period. During this time, high concentrations of tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNA) are produced. TSNA are some of the most carcinogenic compounds known to man. Secondly, cigar wrappers are not as porous as cigarette wrappers, making the combustion of a cigar less complete. These two factors result in higher concentrations of nitrogen oxides, ammonia, carbon monoxide and tar in cigars than in cigarettes.

4. Smoking as little as one cigar a day increases the risk for cancer.

Cigar smoking has been linked to several different cancers, most notably those of the oral cavity, which include lip, tongue, mouth, throat and larynx. Cigar smokers are also at an increased risk for lung cancer and cancers of the pancreas and bladder.

5. Cigar and pipe smokers are at risk for early tooth loss.

In a study published in the January 1999 issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association, it was discovered that cigar and pipe smokers are at an increased risk for early tooth loss, compared to that of their nonsmoking counterparts. Cigar and pipe smokers are also at an increased risk for alveolar bone loss.

6. Cigar smoking has been linked to erectile dysfunction in men.

Smokers are twice as likely to be impotent as nonsmokers due to the adverse effects smoking has on circulation, hormones and the nervous system. Cigar smoking and exposure to second hand smoke in particular have been shown to be significant risk factors for erectile dysfunction.

Steer clear of cigars, and avoid the second hand smoke they produce.

There is no such thing as a safe tobacco product!

Sources:
Questions and Answers about Cigar Smoking National Cancer Institute
Action on Smoking and Health

Krall, Elizabeth et al. Alveloar Bone Loss and Tooth Loss in Male Cigar and Pipe Smokers Journal of the American Dental Association 1999 Jan;130(1):57

Feldman HA et al. Erectile Dysfunction and Coronary Risk Factors: Prospective Results from the Massachusetts Male Aging Study Preventive Medicine 2000; 30: 328-338. Updated: July 10, 2006

Terry Martin, About.com’s Guide to Smoking Cessation since 2003, quit smoking cigarettes in 2001 after 26 years of nicotine addiction. She is now dedicated to helping others to do the same.

About.com is accredited by the Health On the Net Foundation, which promotes reliable and trusted online health information.Important disclaimer information about this About site.

Texting is now illegal while driving

Text messaging is now illegal in the state of California. Texting is now a violation of the state vehicle code, subjecting drivers caught writing them or reading them to a $20 fine for the first offense and $50 for repeat offenses.

The new law is the handiwork of state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, who also wrote the hands-free cell phone legislation that went into effect July 1, 2008. In just under six months, the California Highway Patrol has handed out 45,000 citations to violators of that law, and the CHP is expected to have its hands full trying to keep up with motorists who have their hands full of tiny QWERTY keyboards, thumbing their way down the open road.

It took Simitian six years to get hands-free calling through the Legislature and onto California’s roadways, but he says he encountered almost no resistance to the no-texting law. “It’s really the worst of all possible worlds,” Simitian said of texting, which has grown increasingly popular with supposedly grown-up drivers. “Eyes off the road, and hands off the wheel. That’s a dangerous combination for all of us, not just the people who are texting.”

Strictly speaking, it’s still not illegal to drive a vehicle in California while you are, say, applying mascara, or shaving your legs, or even worshipping that pine-scented air freshener on the dashboard.

 ”Nowhere in the vehicle code does it say you cannot put your makeup on, or read the newspaper, or do a thousand other things,” said Sgt. Paul Woo of the San Jose Police Department’s traffic enforcement unit. “But if that causes you to drive unsafely, then yes, you could be cited.”

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