If I Die Young

Bear with me as I respectfully plagiarize the title of a song that's screaming up the top 40 charts. Written and sung by The Band Perry, the lyrics offer up a poetic and somewhat softened scenario of a life cut short. It's good music. But my mind goes elsewhere every time I hear it. And that's because I'm a mechanic.  And as such, I have been privy to far too many non-fictionalized stories of young lives cut short. And cars are always the common denominator.

All the High Schools in the area are back in session. And a lot of teenaged dreams are coming true as our kids are, many for the first time, rolling their rides onto the student parking lot. It is often one of the most joyous and liberating times of any life.  And it's simply also one of the most dangerous. And the statistics are harsh:

• The traffic accident rates for 16- to 19-year old drivers are higher than those for any other age group.
• Teenagers tend to take more risks while driving partly due to their overconfidence in their driving abilities. Young novice drivers are more likely to engage in risky behaviors like speeding, tailgating, running red lights, violating traffic signs and signals, making illegal turns, passing dangerously, and failure to yield to pedestrians.
•  Teenagers tend to wear safety belts less often than older drivers.
• For teenagers, the risk of being in a crash increases when they transport passengers-the fatality risk of drivers aged 16-17 years is 3.6 times higher when they are driving with passengers than when they are driving alone, and the relative risk of a fatal crash increases as the number of passengers increases, especially for young males riding with young male drivers.
• The per mile crash rate for teenaged drivers is 3 times higher after 9:00 pm during the day. This is because the task of driving at night is more difficult; they have less experience driving at night than during the day; they are more sleep deprived, and/or because teenage recreational driving, which often involves alcohol, is more likely to occur at night.

And this is hardly the whole story.

But far be it for me to help you parent your kids. Heck, I have a hard enough time with the four monkeys I live with. But forcing you to confront the reality of the risks associated with teenaged driving is something I feel comfortable doing. Now, it's time for you to take action:

• Talk to your kids. A lot. Let them know you're watching their every move behind the wheel. Have a zero tolerance for screw-ups. Put them on the bus the minute they break your rules.
• Set the standard. This means that YOU need to demonstrate what a good driver looks like. We know, of course, kids watch us all the time. By emulating what you want your kids to do behind the wheel will go a long way.
• Treat the car as the ultimate privilege. Too often we let our guard down now that we no longer have to be Mom and Dad the taxi driver. We maybe toss the keys a little too quickly because it's just easier than still being a part of the transportation process. Look, I know your teenager may look and act like grown-ups, but they are still kids…they need your guidance, especially when it comes to driving.

And finally, remember that becoming a good, safe driver is a process. It takes many, many years. It takes a huge commitment from parents to ensure the process ends in success. And in this case, success is defined  simply by keeping the title of this blog nothing more than a fictional lyric.

 Doug Brauner is the OWNER/OPERATOR of THE CAR CZAR AUTO REPAIR shops in Sacramento and Citrus Heights. Coupons for FREE repair can be found at www.thecarczar.com or at facebook.com/thecarczar. THE CAR CZAR SHOW airs every Sunday at 10:00am on CW31.