In a message dated 5/28/99 2:55:43 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
Ric_Bergstrom@britishcarclub.com writes:
<< What would you say to 16 year olds if you had the chance to sit them
down (at their parents request) and talk to them about driving
skills (survival)?
I have that opportunity as I ask all my clients to bring in their 16
year olds when we add them to Mom and Dads auto policy.
I feel it does them some good.
I was wondering what you (the list) would want to pass on? >>
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I work with quite a few kids (boys) in the 11 to 18 year old range in my role
as a Boy Scout leader. I don't know how effective you can be as a stranger
talking to a teen who doesn't know you very well. It takes years (sometimes)
to build the trust necessary for them to listen to you.
If you are getting through to them, and I hope you are, I would want to
impress on them the responsibility of being an adult. Resist the urge to do
something stupid, like driving at 11/10, racing on the street, even driving
through a pile of leaves in the fall (where a small kid could be playing).
Unless you plan to spend a month or more with them in the car, I don't think
you can do more than ask them to be an adult behind the wheel. If you
suspect that they want to go fast, give them an application to the SCCAs
program for kids called Speed Freakz. Tell them that they can race all they
want to at an SCCA event, but race on the track, not on the street.
A big thank you for giving this a try. If it keeps one kid alive, it was
worth it.
Allen Hefner
'77 Midget
'92 Mitsubishi Expo LRV Sport
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