Teens study up on road dangers

On the way to a teen driving safety summit Thursday, some Charleston-area students were asked to write what the number "16" meant to them. It represents, on average, the number of teenagers who die each day in car accidents.

One student drew a picture of a car with two stick figures inside next to the caption: "Run for your life."

It was a fitting illustration for the Charleston Keep the Drive Summit, where Charleston-area high school students were told that the fatality statistic hasn't dropped in more than a decade because young drivers are often distracted. Among the culprits are backseat drivers, eating, talking on cell phones — even text messaging from behind the wheel.

"We offer them up those realities about the distractions, but we're not saying you shouldn't do this or you shouldn't do that, because that's already implied," lead trainer Vicente Luna said. "We're trying to get them to be smart, to change their actions. It's one thing if it's an accident; it's another if it's preventable."

Antonio Tolbert, a senior at Charleston County School of the Arts, has seen what can happen when drivers are distracted by their cell phones. "My uncle was on the phone and got in a horrible wreck," Tolbert said. "Now he's paralyzed from the waist down. I learned from his mistakes."

And like other student drivers, School of the Arts freshman Kenna Sommer is learning some of the rules of driving from her parents. "They always correct me. My mom is always freaking out," Sommer said. "The phone has to be on vibrate; the radio has to be low.

"It makes sense, though," Sommer added. "I can't even walk and drink at the same time."

The Allstate Foundation sponsors Keep the Drive events in hopes of reaching teens like Tolbert and Sommer, who can carry the lessons back to their own peer groups, foundation spokeswoman Kasey Salt said.

"The Allstate Foundation program did a survey and determined that teens respond to parents, but they respond better to their peers," Salt said. "By driving smart, you'll be able to keep your friends, keep your freedom, keep your keys and keep your future."

Reach Aubrey Straub at astraub@postandcourier.com.