New program targets teen awareness

To teach driving skills, anti-drug message

By Bill Hess
Published/Last Modified on Wednesday, Jul 16, 2008 - 05:33:59 am MST

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Herald/Review

SIERRA VISTA — Last year’s deaths of four Buena High School teenagers on local roads has prompted authorities to start an educational program.

Since January, four more Cochise County teens have died in vehicle crashes. Three of those deaths involved alcohol abuse, and as did three of the deaths last year.

Because of this trend, a number of law enforcement and fire department agencies are working to start the Teen Driving Safety and Awareness program.

The program is designed for teens, 15 to 19 who have just received their permits or driving licenses.

Members of the Southeastern Arizona DUI Task Force are primarily heading up the program. The teen awareness group includes representatives from the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office, Sierra Vista police and fire departments, Fry Fire District, Huachuca City Fire Department, Arizona Department of Public Safety, Cochise County Fleet Management and Cochise County Risk Management.

Underage drinking and driving leading to accidents is a major concern of public safety agencies, said Sheriff’s Deputy Cmdr. Mark Dannels, who along with retired Sierra Vista police Officer Bob Randall is spearheading the program.

“Last year’s deaths created a need for the special program,” Dannels said, adding the four deaths this year add emphasis to finding a way to teach teens the danger of drinking and driving.

On Tuesday, the organizing group met at the Sierra Vista police station to listen to an update of the program’s progress and to share ideas with each other.

An application for a $37,440 grant from a special governor’s teen drinking and awareness fund has been submitted, Dannels said. The money will be used to pay law officers and firefighters who will be part of the instructor cadre for their overtime.

Area service clubs and businesses also have expressed an interest in providing financial support, he said.

Each class, with the potential of two classes being held on the third Saturday of each month, will consist of 10 teens, Randall said.

There will be no cost to the parents or the teens for the expected five-hour course of instruction.

The first two hours will be classroom instruction, which the parents must attend. The program will include Arizona laws pertaining to driving, the physiological effects of drugs and alcohol as they relate to operating a vehicle, maintenance, pre-trip inspections and written tests.

Three hours will be for behind-the-wheel instruction, which will include braking exercises, panic braking, parallel parking and impaired driving practical exercise. The latter will be done using golf carts, and the students will wear special goggles that will simulate alcohol impairment.

The course will include a pretend street with signs and other objects a student might encounter while driving.

The object is to let a student get a feeling of what it is like to have deteriorated motor skills and how that can lead to accidents if a person is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, Dannels said.

The course, for which teens must sign up for, will include the driving portion at the Sierra Vista Municipal Airport.

How to apply for the program will be advertised soon.

Students who successfully complete the training will be given a certificate and the organizing group is looking into whether insurance companies will give a discount for vehicle insurance to the course graduates.

“We don’t want kids who don’t want to do it,” Dannels said.

The long-range goal is to build a track for the program between Sierra Vista Fire Station 3 and the Sierra Vista Riding Club area. The estimated cost for the project is in excess of $100,000.

Huachuca City Fire Department Assistant Chief Janet Morlock said driver education in schools that still provide that type of instruction does not teach what the new program being developed will.

To others at the meeting, there seems to be a lack of programs to address drinking problems among teens in a school setting.

The Teen Driver and Awareness Program will combine the best of drivers education with instilling knowledge of how drinking impairs judgment when behind the wheel, Morlock said.

When it comes to the once-a-month training, Dannels said, “Beginning in September, we will rock.”

HERALD/REVIEW senior reporter Bill Hess can be reached at 515-4615 or by e-mail at bill.hess@svherald.com.

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To Mom of many wrote on Jul 20, 2008 6:53 AM:

" Good luck in finding any driver instruction in this town. When I was looking for one for my child (now age 20), I was told they discontinued the driver ed class at Buena. I ended up spending MANY hours above the 25 required hours in the car with my child covering SE Arizona. First Baptist Church has some parallel parking spaces that are good for practice. The big problem is the drinking teens LIKE to drink and are STILL DRINKING despite those deaths last summer. They learned NOTHING! Those who don't drink need defensive driving skills against the drinkers! "

mom of many wrote on Jul 19, 2008 2:44 PM:

" Brian, what "current drivers education program required to acquire a drivers permit" are you talking about? There isn't one! Kids just have to pass the written test to get ther permit. I know this because my 16-yr-old son just got his. Now I am trying to find a driving class he can attend for behind-the-wheel instruction. Kudos to SV for atleast making an effort to start a program...that is better than doing nothing. Maybe one day they will do more and move away from the golf cart and special goggles. But..hey, something is better than nothing! "

Brian wrote on Jul 17, 2008 12:26 PM:

" Good efort, but I'm pessimistic about the outcome. The mandatory parent attendance I think is the deal breaker. Any parent willing to sit through the class likely is one of those who is active in thier childrens lives and thus the class may not be needed. And the ones who do need to attend (parent and child alike) won't go unless it's mandated by the government. And what does this say about the current drivers education program required to acquire a drivers permit? "

JP wrote on Jul 16, 2008 7:57 PM:

" I appreciate the effort from Sierra Vista and applaud the objective as a parent. I would just like Sierra Vista to look at more modern technology and real world driving experiences versus a golf cart and special goggles. This will not provide the level of experience that larger cities Tucson or Phoenix provide to teen drivers. They put them behind the wheel in real scenarios and that's how they gain experience, Put a little money into it Sierra Vista and save a life not a budget. "

Concerned wrote on Jul 16, 2008 5:55 PM:

" Educating teens and/or adults in an effort to prevent drunk driving is great, however there does not seem to be any strict legal penalties for drinking and driving. Police blotters online from SV have numerous accounts of driving under the influence, cited, then released. In one case the blotter stated they were released at the scene. They impound the vehicle for x amount of days yet they release the law breaker. The penalties need to be tougher. "

Concerned Citizen wrote on Jul 16, 2008 12:52 PM:

" It wont work, the kids today just do not care. They would rather party than make something of themselves! "

They will Rock wrote on Jul 16, 2008 9:48 AM:

" Right, the teens that sign up are going to be the ones that don't need to. "

robin wrote on Jul 16, 2008 9:16 AM:

" I am the mother of one of the kids who died . My son might be the fourth child that died due to drugs and drinking But since dps didn't test anyone in the car even though their was fresh beer cans at the scene we will never know if the driver was drinking or on drugs. I agree
with gloria that if one life is saved it is worth it. "

Penny Heins wrote on Jul 16, 2008 8:36 AM:

" The Teen Driver and Awareness Program is going to be a fantastic addition to our community. Thank you Mark Dannels, Bob Randall, Sheriff's Department, and everyone else involved. Great idea! Maybe something could be developed for teens who want to participate whose parent(s) are unavailable or unwilling to attend with them, thereby reaching more teens. "

C.CollegeStudent wrote on Jul 16, 2008 8:13 AM:

" The development of the program is great! These kids are too young to do the adult thinking themselves, so it's our job as a community to really take the time and put forth the effort to enlighten them. "

gloria grissom wrote on Jul 16, 2008 7:13 AM:

" As grandmother of one of the young people who died last summer, I am so excited about this program. I wish those involved much success. If one life is saved, the program will be successful. "

Only wrote on Jul 16, 2008 6:15 AM:

" This might be effective if you get 10 teens at high risk, but more than likely it will not be those who sign up because they LIKE their drinking lifestyle. With the exception of the driving portion, a really innovative middle school science teacher could teach an alcohol awareness unit, cutting across the core courses to incorporate math, English, and social studies as a stepping stone to this course. However, this course would have to be offered to more than 10 to make a difference. There are far more drinking teens in this town than people want to admit! "