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Jessica Murphy Key Chains

One way that the Frederick County Highway Safety Task Force has helped raise awareness of teen driving issues is through the support of Jessica Murphy Key Chains.  These key chains are given to newly licensed drivers at the MVA in Frederick.

Jessica was a front seat passenger in a car that took a left turn on green into the path of an oncoming tractor-trailer. The crash occurred on August 26, 1999 on Route 85 in Frederick, Maryland. No one was drinking. No one was speeding. No one was being aggressive. It was broad daylight. The roads were not wet. Yet Jessica still died.

Lack of experience and inattentiveness to the task at hand were the causes of this tragedy. Each time the key attached to this key chain is put in the ignition, Jessica's family hopes that the driver will think of Jessie, drive defensively, take their time and buckle up.

http://www.jessicamurphy.com/

  

  

[FAQS] [What Can Parents Do] [Teen Pledge] [Related Sites] 

Did you know...

 

     

The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office tracks the number of vehicle collisions that involve an inexperienced driver as the “at fault” vehicle.  The office defines an inexperienced driver as anyone under the age of 21 with less than 5 years driving experience.

In 2001, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office completed an official “Accident Report” (known as a MAARS report) on 846 of the 1529 crashes that we responded to.  Of those 846 crash reports, 210 listed an inexperienced driver being at fault.  That means that 25% of the crashes that we investigated in 2001 were caused by a driver between the ages of 15 and 20 years of age!  MVA confirms that the driving population in Frederick County for this same age group is approximately 9%.  Nine percent of the drivers in Frederick County are accounting for a quarter of the crashes occurring here.  As you can see, this is way out of proportion!

Here are the percentages by month:

January 21%

February 17%

March 17%

April 30%

May 27%

June 27%

July 42%

August 27%

September 18%

October 21%

November 25%

December 21%

Why Crashes Occur:

The most common reasons for youthful driver crashes are:

·        Speed

·        Fail to drive in a single lane

·        Fail to yield the right of way

Thankfully, in 2001 alcohol was a factor in only 14 of the 210 crashes, however, one of those was a fatality.

 

What Can Parents Do:

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  • Ride with your 16 year-old as much as possible to help them become a safer driver.
  • Spend more time training your child “how” to drive.
  • Once they receive their learner’s permit, they should drive Mom and Dad everywhere.
  • Increase driving privileges slowly. Consider making your teen earn driving privileges through household chores and/or academic performance.
  • Establish clear expectations on the rules and limits. Set limits on the ages and number of passengers allowed with your teen.
  • Sign a pledge agreement with your teen. See the list in the Pledge below.
  • Be aware of the high risks of teens driving and riding together. Don't assume your 16 year-old will drive the same way with peers in the car as when you are present. Insist your driver and passengers wear seatbelts.
  • Prohibit late night driving that is unsupervised. Late night outings tend to pose more risk.
  • Choose safe cars...Large ones are safer than small ones, and airbags enhance safety. Avoid high performance cars.
  • Instill a sense of responsibility in your teens by requiring them to take on a portion of the driving expenses such as gasoline and/or vehicle insurance or maintenance costs.
  • Set a good example! Adhere to traffic laws and safe driving practices.

A Teen Driving Pledge:

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One way to alleviate some of the problems of teen driving is to make an agreement between the teen and parent. A critical part of the agreement is that the promise that a child can call home, no matter what hour or location, and the parent will arrange for a safe, sober transportation home. In addition, the parties must understand that issues concerning the agreement will be discussed calmly between the parties.

There are several sites that offer contracts that can be signed by the teenage driver and parent. These contracts represent a promise or agreement between the driver and parent to adhere to safe driving practices as well as safe lifestyle practices. One of these contracts may help save the life of your teen driver.

Other Sites Related to Young Drivers:

 

 

 

[FAQS] [What Can Parents Do] [Teen Pledge] [Related Sites]


Frederick County Highway Safety Task Force.