Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Operation Cool Answer to Teen Car Deaths?
I have been reading about the justifiable gnashing of teeth of public officials, parents and the community of Oswego in general with regard to what can be done to prevent future deaths of so many teens.
So far I have not heard anyone mention Operation Cool.
I know of it as a Crystal Lake High School District 155 program. The web site says,
Seatbelt use going from 65% to 95%.
That sounds like a program that policy makers might try to replicate.
Maybe even in Oswego.
It seems to be a combination of education and bribery.
And it works.
As Crystal Lake Deputy Police Chief Dennis Harris told me,
Of the teens that sign a contract to live by the rules imposed, one is picked from each high school to enter a drawing for a new car supplied by Crystal Lake Pontiac-GMC Truck, owned by Sam Oginni. Oginni has just opened another dealership in Fox Lake.
That’s assuming the school’s compliance rate is above 90%
If a school’s compliance rate is over 95%, two students get a chance to win a new car.
It didn’t start out being a new car, just a recent model. That means even a used car dealer could get the ball rolling on a similar teen driving safety program.
There are lots of other prizes, too.
Crystal Lake Police Officer Sean McGrath told Crystal Lake Kiwanis that he pulls over students and, if they are “caught wearing a seatbelt,” he gives them a prize donated by local merchants or community groups.
He told one story of pulling over a mom and her child saying, “Don’t worry, Mom. It’s probably just a seat belt check.” (That’s not exact, but close.) In any event, the youth got a prize on the spot.
There is much more in the way of education and interaction between police and the students, of course. This is pretty much a full-court press to keep teens from killing themselves.
It doesn’t stop accidents.
But, it does save lives.
In one head-on collusion a couple of years ago (the word in the high schools is that they were playing chicken), a girl was sitting in the middle front seat. She had only a lap belt. But, she was wearing it. There's probably was zero chance she would have survived without it. She'll probably have problems all of her life, but she is alive.
And, she and her family probably have Operation Cool to thank.
So, why don't other towns copy this idea?
Maybe they will.
Here’s a link to the Chicago Tribune series on teen driving deaths.
For more McHenry County Blog, click here.
= = = = =
Winner of Operation Cool's car Matt Frederick poses with Crystal Lake Pontiac dealer Sam Oginni.
So far I have not heard anyone mention Operation Cool.
I know of it as a Crystal Lake High School District 155 program. The web site says,
Operation Cool strives to encourage School District 155 students to make a personal decision to wear their safety belts. This is accomplished through positive reinforcement, and prize giveaways.
Operation Cool has successfully raised the seat belt compliance rate among students from 65% to 95%, reducing the number of severe injuries during motor vehicle crashes and saving lives.
Seatbelt use going from 65% to 95%. That sounds like a program that policy makers might try to replicate.
Maybe even in Oswego.
It seems to be a combination of education and bribery.
And it works.
As Crystal Lake Deputy Police Chief Dennis Harris told me,
We have seen almost a 50% increase in seat belt compliance. That 95% is significantly higher than the national average of between 72 and 75%.Why do the adults do this?
Anecdotally, we do believe that the rate of teen accidents and the severity of those accidents has declined.
Youth between the ages of 15 - 20 comprise only 5% of the driving population yet they are involved in 14% of all fatal crashes.There’s a quarterly seatbelt survey at each of District 155’s high schools.Charts of the results are posted in each school. I saw one in the cafeteria at Prairie Ridge.Drivers between the ages of 16 - 17 are 6 times more likely to be involved in a crash than ALL other drivers combined.
Of the teens that sign a contract to live by the rules imposed, one is picked from each high school to enter a drawing for a new car supplied by Crystal Lake Pontiac-GMC Truck, owned by Sam Oginni. Oginni has just opened another dealership in Fox Lake.
That’s assuming the school’s compliance rate is above 90% If a school’s compliance rate is over 95%, two students get a chance to win a new car.
It didn’t start out being a new car, just a recent model. That means even a used car dealer could get the ball rolling on a similar teen driving safety program.
There are lots of other prizes, too.
Crystal Lake Police Officer Sean McGrath told Crystal Lake Kiwanis that he pulls over students and, if they are “caught wearing a seatbelt,” he gives them a prize donated by local merchants or community groups.
He told one story of pulling over a mom and her child saying, “Don’t worry, Mom. It’s probably just a seat belt check.” (That’s not exact, but close.) In any event, the youth got a prize on the spot.
There is much more in the way of education and interaction between police and the students, of course. This is pretty much a full-court press to keep teens from killing themselves.
It doesn’t stop accidents.
But, it does save lives.
In one head-on collusion a couple of years ago (the word in the high schools is that they were playing chicken), a girl was sitting in the middle front seat. She had only a lap belt. But, she was wearing it. There's probably was zero chance she would have survived without it. She'll probably have problems all of her life, but she is alive.And, she and her family probably have Operation Cool to thank.
So, why don't other towns copy this idea?
Maybe they will.
Here’s a link to the Chicago Tribune series on teen driving deaths.
For more McHenry County Blog, click here.
= = = = =
Winner of Operation Cool's car Matt Frederick poses with Crystal Lake Pontiac dealer Sam Oginni.
Labels: Crystal Lake, Crystal Lake High School District 155, Operation Cool, Oswego, Sam Oginni
