Mom

Science World, Feb 7, 2005 by Elizabeth Carney

Sometimes it feels like your mom knows every bad thing you do--even when she isn't around. For reckless teen drivers, the sensation is real.

Donna Graf, a mother in Tampa, Florida, created a Go-Get-Mom bumper-sticker program. Complete with a phone number, the sticker urges miffed motorists to dial in and snitch on irresponsible teen drivers. Within five seconds, the service notifies the teen's parents.

The hope is that teens will strive to be better drivers. Auto accidents are the top killer of 15- to 20-year-olds.

Graf says the stickers are even catching on with teens, "They want people to know they can be safe drivers." It seems this mom knows best.

Did You Know?

* According to a yearlong study of 78 trucking companies using the "How's My Driving" sticker for their fleet of vehicles, the stickers helped reduce accidents by 27 percent.

* According to the National Center for Statistics & Analysis, motor-vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for 15-to 20-year-old Americans. This age group accounts for 6.8 percent of licensed drivers, yet it is responsible for 14 percent of all fatal crashes. In the year 2001, 8,137 drivers aged 15 to 20 were involved in fatal crashes.

Resources

* For more information about the Go-Get-Mom program, visit: www.gogetmom1.com/

* Teens can get information on how to become safer drivers at this Web site: www.safedrivingcouncil.org/index.html