Mission Statement

Please read this, it is very important

Statistics gathered from the NHTSA show that most of the people killed in crashes involving young drivers (15 through 20 years of age) are the young drivers themselves or passengers in the vehicles driven by the young drivers. Most of these passengers are in the same age group as the young drivers.

 In 2006 a total of 17,800 people were killed in car accidents in the United States. Of the 8,738 people killed in crashes involving young drivers, 3,620 (41%) were the young drivers themselves and 2,391 (27%) were passengers in the vehicles driven by the young drivers. The remaining 2,727 (31%) were occupants of other vehicles, occupants of vehicles not in transport or pedestrians.

 Among the 2,391 passengers killed in vehicles driven by young drivers, 1,523 (64%) were passengers in the same age group. Thus, of all the people killed in crashes involving young drivers, a majority (5,143 or 59%) were 15 to 20 year olds. This same pattern exists over the period 2000 – 2005.

 203 of those killed in the age group of 15-20 year olds came from Missouri. But, these same statistics show that the older you get and the more experience you gain the fatality numbers drop, dramatically from 59% to 14.56% for the 51 – 55 year age group.

 These statistics also show that all of the young drivers killed in the United States and Missouri were killed from high speed incidents also referred to as racing. Though we may never know if the racing was purposely set up or a last minute joy ride turned deadly, the numbers are still staggering considering that a total of 17,800 people were killed in the US last year and 1,096 were from Missouri.

 Granted the percentage rate per accident for the 15-20 year old driver and passenger fatality group is lower in Mo., 18.55%, the numbers are still staggering. AND 63 more 15-20 year olds were killed as occupants of other vehicles ( some one generally in the wrong place at the wrong time) and 15 were pedestrians. That makes a total of 281 15-20 year olds killed in motor vehicle accidents or a total of 25.5%. So if the statistics still hold true as they have for the past 6 years, basically 1 out of every 4 15-20 year old drivers, 15-20 year old passengers, 15-20 year old drivers of other vehicles and 15-20 year old pedestrians will be killed this year. And if you want to add the number of 15-20 year olds injured as either drivers, passengers, drivers of other vehicles or pedestrians, the numbers are absolutely staggering. 

In the US last year over 1,445,000 people were injured. 89,590 were injured in MO, of these 22,845 were 15-20 year olds and either drivers, passengers, drivers or passengers of other vehicles or pedestrians.

 So what is it that we can do to help lower these numbers?

EDUCATION!!!!!

A lot of the kids who get their licenses as soon as they turn 16 think they are a professional NASCAR or NHRA driver instantaneously.  Mom or Dad go out and buy their new driver a car that has more horsepower than quite a few adults who have driven for 10 or 15 years have right now in their cars, and they want to show off to their friends.

As I have stated before, if they want to race their car on the street, there is no way that we can stop them. BUT, we can EDUCATE them on how to do it intelligently and safely. I can hear you thinking right now about what I have just wrote here, how can it be intelligent to race on the street ? And you are correct, it isn't. But it is a statement of life that started with man when he first learned to ride a horse that he just knew he was faster than his buddy and wants to prove it!

If we can teach our younger generation how to handle the horsepower they have and how to apply it correctly, the facts and percentages that have been collected will drop dramatically. And maybe just maybe if we can teach them what friends and friendship is really all about maybe they will not only do better in school but better in life in general!