BeTween Riding & Driving:
Educating Youth on In-Car Safety
Webinar
Moderator
Susanne Ogaitis-Jones, MSPH, CHES, CPST
Coordinator, CPS & OP Healthcare Project
Maryland Institute for
Emergency Medical Services Systems
This webinar was created by the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services
Systems, with funding from the Maryland Highway Safety Office and the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Goals of this webinar
To educate viewers on occupant safety
issues among pre-teens and provide
some strategies for preventing
injury/death from motor vehicle
crashes among this age group.
Youth in Vehicles
In 2011:
• about 2,500 U.S. children ages 15–19 years died
as occupants in motor vehicle crashes
• approximately 360,000 were injured
• Among children 14 years and younger, about
800 were killed and 180,000 injured.
“In crashes involving drivers younger than
18 years, the greatest risk factors for death
among teen passengers are high speed roads,
non-restraint use, and drivers who are ages
16 or younger.”
(Winston, Arch Ped & Adol Med, 2008)
Compared with younger age groups,
youth age 16–24 have lower
seat belt use.
• In a study of 3,126 nationally representative teens
who were surveyed in 2006, those who were
drivers had a 82% seat belt use rate while the teen
passengers had a 69% rate.
Garcia. F., Durbin, DR., Winston, FK AJPH, 2012 June. 102(6).
• In 2008, 80% of youth in this age group wore
seat belts; the national use rate was 83%. (NHTSA)
Garcia F, Durbin DR, Winston FK. Safety Belt Laws and Disparities in
Safety Belt Use Among US High School Drivers. American Journal of
Public Health, 2012 June; 102(6):1128-1134
They found particularly low seat belt use
among specific groups of teens
• Those living in rural areas
• African Americans
• Low grades or attending schools in lower
socioeconomic districts
• Those driving pickup trucks.
Durbin DR, Corregano LM, Kallan MJ, Curry AE, Mirman JH, Norris C, Hill S, Winston
FK. Miles to go: Focusing on Risks for Teen Driver Crashes. Published by The
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute and State Farm®, 2013.
More risk factors….
In 2011, 3,331 people were killed in crashes
involving driver distraction. (Centers for Disease Control)
Drivers who use hand-held devices are 4 times
more likely to get into crashes serious enough to
injure themselves. (Monash University)
Text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse
than driving while not distracted. (Virginia Tech Traffic Inst)
How to lower youth’s risk of MVC
injuries and death?
Education
Enforcement
Engineering
Emergency Medical Services
Encouragement
Evaluation
Graduated licensing has been shown to help
decrease crash risk for new drivers
(9%–43%; various studies)
• Requires supervised early driving
• Limits driving at night
• Limits non-family members riding as passengers
with new drivers
• Increases seat belt use
rates among new drivers
Legislation on restraint use….
Primary
seat belt laws
vs
Secondary
seat belt laws
Alonge, M. et. Al, North
Central Highway Safety
Network, (NHTSA Report:
DOT HS 811 096) June 2012
Results from ‘Avoiding Tween Tragedies’
• Observational studies showed that seat belt use significantly
improved from the pre to post study period in all groups receiving
the interventions.
Elementary (grades 3–5): 13% increase
Middle School: 17% increase
High School (15 year olds): 20% increase
• Back seat positioning for elementary school students
increased by 23%
• Self-reporting of seat belt use and knowledge of PA seat belt laws
improved across all age groups, but was most significant for the 15
year olds.
Why “tweens” and
Occupant Protection Education ?
•
•
•
•
Cars hold wide appeal
Some are already
thinking about driving
Increasingly riding with
peers, siblings, parents of
friends
Many have already driven
a car
•
•
•
•
Pay close attention
Can serve as an extra pair
of eyes to driver
Communicate with
others
Practice telling others
what they learn
From ‘Safest Generation,’ Safe Kids Worldwide
BeTween Riding & Driving:
In-Car Safety for Youth
This program was created by the Maryland Institute for
Emergency Medical Services Systems, with funding from the
Maryland Highway Safety Office and the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration, and with additional support by the
Emergency Nursing Association.
Goals of the Program
• Teach youth about safely riding in vehicles
to reduce their risk of injury or death
• Teach youth skills and information that will
help them become safer drivers
when they are ready to drive.
Strategies Used in the Program
Teach facts and
consequences about
riding in motor
vehicles
• Injury/death risks
• MD driving laws (cell phone
use, seat belt use, graduated
licensing, drinking and
driving laws) and penalties
Methods:
Show short video clips from
the DriverCam Program,
in which cameras show
driver & passengers
simultaneously, with the
driver’s view of road.
Show YouTube videos and
ads on driving risks and
consequences
Strategies
Use hands-on activities to learn and
practice safety skills
• proper seat belt fit demonstration
• relay game to teach stowing loose objects in the
car/safest positions to ride in cars/buckling up
practice/look for objects near vehicles*
• spot the airbag game*
• Fatal Vision Goggles activity to teach the effects of
impairment
* Adapted from Safe Kids’ Safest Generation
Strategies
Use role plays to simulate common
car/occupant situations and to identify
youth behaviors and attitudes, then have
youth practice ways of handling the
situation.
Strategies
Use pledging to bring parents and
youth together to talk about passenger
safety and cooperatively establish rules,
rewards, and punishments.
From Safe Kids Worldwide’s, Countdown2Drive.org
Pledging Process
Strategies
Evaluation
• Pre/Post questionnaire for the
youth participants
• Facilitator’s feedback form
• Follow up with parents
Basics of the Pilot Program
Pilot interventions conducted between
August 2012 - June 2013
• 13 emergency nurses or safety advocates took the
train-the-trainer course
• Five facilitated the pilot program with youth groups
(thru 2/13)
• Facilitators identified youth groups, ages 10–15 yrs
• One-time program lasted approximately 2 hours
• Location: room with computer access; nearby use of a
vehicle for hands-on exercises
Experiences of Two Facilitators in the
Pilot Program
•
Kelly Llewellyn, RN, EMS Administrative
Specialist, Meritus Medical Center,
Hagerstown
•
Oluranti Omoyeni, RN, Johns Hopkins
Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore
Trauma and Emergency
Services
Public Awareness Programs:
How we are educating our
community youth
Kelly Llewellyn, BSN, RN
EMS Administrative Specialist
Child Passenger Safety Technician
Where we are and who makes up our community
 Washington County
○ Western Maryland
○ Borders: Mason-Dixon
line, Sidling Hill Creek,
Potomac River, and
South Mountain
○ 8 Towns
○ pop. 147,430
(2010 census)
 Hagerstown
○ “Hub City” located at
crossroads of I-70 and
I-81
○ pop. 39,662
(‘10 census)
○ 80% Caucasian,10%
African American
Defensive
Driving/Protective
Passengers
Where we went…
Girls Incorporated of Washington County is a
local affiliate of a national nonprofit youth
organization dedicated to inspiring all girls to be
strong, smart, and bold. Girls Inc. fulfills its
mission of empowering girls to be self sufficient,
responsible, and confident women by delivering
research-based, age appropriate, after-school
and summer programs.
Why we went…When we went…
 Established contact at Girls Inc.
 Reach diverse group of teens
November 27, 2012
4:00 - 5:30 pm
Challenges…
 Ground rules were not clearly defined
 Weather: cold/rainy
 Darkness—parking lot not well lit; not appropriate to be
outside after dark
 Did mock car drills inside/ Didn’t fully understand
purpose of activity
 Lacked parent participation for Countdown2Drive piece
 Not all girls had access to internet
 Girls had difficulty reading some of the questions
 Didn’t have parental permission to take
pictures of the event
Lessons Learned
 Will set firm ground rules for program: no cell phones,
defined times when it is okay to chat
 Will evaluate parking lot and lighting before event
 May send out a letter with the permission slip further
encouraging parents to arrive at the end of the presentation
in order to participate
 Give better directions related to the car activity as they didn’t
fully understand purpose
 We will continue to have paper copies of the
Countdown2Drive agreements
 We will read the test questions out loud
 Along with parental permission slip for class, will have
picture/video release signed
Who we reached…
25 girls started the program…21 completed it
Data Collected
 81% of the participants ranged in ages 10–12
(two-13 yo, two-14 yo, one-16 yo)
 88% reported wearing seatbelts most of the time or all of
the time
 84% felt their parents always wear their seat belts
 Overall the pretest and post tests reflected similar
correct answers
 Overall, evaluation of the program received a 5/5
Fall Planning…
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Girls Inc.
Parish Nurse (Youth Groups)
Teen MOPS
Girl Scouts
Stay Alive!
Don’t Text and Drive.
Did You Know?
Distracted driving is the # 1 killer of teens
 It’s just like drinking and driving—using a phone while driving
slows the reaction time the same amount as driving with a blood
alcohol content of 0.16, TWICE the legal limit
 16- and 17-year-old drivers represent 11% of all driver
fatalities, but only 1.6% of all licensed Maryland drivers.
 38% of all traffic injuries in Maryland involve a distracted driver
 18% of fatalities in distraction-related crashes involved a cell
phone
 Drivers who use hand held devices are four times more likely to
be involved in a crash resulting in serious injury
Stay Alive! Don’t Text and Drive Sponsors
Stay Alive! Don’t Text and Drive Community Partners
Jessica Thwaite, T-Shirt Art Contest Winner from North High!!
Facebook
Blog
Meritus Health Website
Billboard – Maryland Avenue
Hagerstown, MD
Where we were in the High Schools
“Stay Alive!, Don’t Text and Drive.”
Fall 2011
High School Football Games across Washington County
Spring 2012
Frederick County High Schools-Lunch time
Fall 2012
Washington County High Schools-Lunch time
“Stay Alive!, Don’t Text and Drive.”
Other Events
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Chambersburg Apple Fest
Seventh-day Adventist Health Fair, Hagerstown
Just Teens at Valley Mall, Hagerstown
Ft. Ritchie Health Fair, Cascade
Breaking Dawn Part 1,
Leitersburg Cinemas-Midnight Movie Premiere
Convoy of Hope, Hagerstown
Greencastle Rescue Hose Fire Prevention Week,
Greencastle, PA
Hagerstown Sun’s Games, Hagerstown
FSK Mall, Frederick
Just
last
week…
Stay Alive!
Don’t Text and Drive.
12,000 students in Washington
and Frederick Counties have
signed the pledge
Too many local teens are dying and being
critically injured from car accidents…
Kelly Llewellyn, BSN, RN
Kelly.llewellyn@meritushealth.com
(301) 790-8378
Oluranti Omoyeni RN BSN
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
•10–19
year olds
•Parents
•Church Community
Outreach
•Youth camp
Background :
Mainly of West African
Ethnicity
•Responsible
for
younger ones
•Preparing
for
college
•Culture/values
•How
does it feel?
•Role playing
•Parent time
•Outside Car Park
•Videos
Include the parents if possible.
Know cultural background.
Have fun with it.
Let both sides give feedback.
Food/snacks
Please contact:
Oluranti Omoyeni (Tola)
oomoyem1@jhmi.edu
General Results Of First Year Of Pilot
Testing
From Pre-Survey to Post-Survey, there was a
significant increase in awareness of:
• Wearing a seat belt to stay safe instead of ‘being
thrown clear in a crash’
• Graduated licensing laws
• The need to safely store objects inside the car so
they don’t become projectiles
Observations from facilitators:
The videos really captured the youths’
attention, although some were at or past
their comfort zone.
• The role plays were well-liked.
• It was challenging to do the pledging
component during the class, due to need
for parents & web-accessible computers
to be present.
•
For more information
Contact:
Susanne Ogaitis-Jones, MSPH, CHES, CPST
MIEMSS CPS & OP Healthcare Program
sogaitisjones@miemss.org or cps@miemss.org
Phone: 410-706-8647