PAGE M4, WIIITY FREE PRESS, The Auto Section, MARCH 28,.1990 Su rprise twist on drunk drivingpenalties, Prom, Safey -dt' 'Philadelphia Story eElèt f rffI< fatalities. there and at another, comparable onces in patterns* or drinidn A new studyincae that Severe Penalties for Drunk Dr. H. Lawrenco Roos laoked at Ohio comxnunity that did not drivi. . enforcement of drinking/driving Divn, could not confirm the a community, New Philadeiphia, havesere pnle.Rod D.os concluded thal regulations can have results flot belefs tha sevore penalties for Ohio, that bail severe penalties checks of blood7alcoholconcn- appraach should concentrai foreseen by some. drunk driving would doter others for drunk driving. Ho compared ftratons in both communities the certainty of punishi The study, « The New and thus reduco alcohol-relatoil drinking and driving patterns indlicated no significant differ- rather than the severity. DRI VING~ SAFELY with RANDY RANDY McLEAN IS A PROFESSIONAL ENIGNEER WHO SPECIALIZES IN TRAFFIC SAFETY. Mr. MoLeari has revlewed thousands of Individuai motor vehicle acldent reports and his close worklng relationships with police agencies, governmrrenîs, safety assocations, industry and the public, have given him a true ovorview of trafflo safety issues, problems and solutions ln Cainada. A utomnobile insurance the win-win solution Driver education For several years now the automobile insurance industry, consumer advocates, special interest groups and governinent committees have reviewed, discused and dobated how best to lower automobile insurance premiums. fliey have examiined public Versus private insurance, fault versus no-fault plans, legal and administrative casts, car repair costs, profit margins and a hst of other factors that influence the cost of providing msurance. Considerable attention bas beei paid ta what government and industry could or should do to reduce our insurance rates. In camparison, very littie has been said about what we as individuals can do to help ourselves. Yet, the root cause of rising insurance rates -- an ever increasng number of trafflc accidents -- is almost entirely in the hands of individual drivers, nat insurance compaemes or government agencies. Ifthe number of accidents increase by 10 per cent each year and the annual inflation rate if 5 per cent, then automobile insurance premiums must rise by 15 per cent evezy year just to keep pace. On the other band, if the number of accidents. decreased by 10 por'oent, insurance campanies could Iower our premiums while maintaining their profit margins. A win-win solution! The Neoil Fe P" Lioenoe Driver ]Educatiau Traditionally aur attitude bas been that formai dfiver education is necessary, if at ail, during the six- ta 12-week period inunediatley preceding a driver's licence test. Thereafter, ail training is gained through on-the-road experience. Like most other self taught activities, driving sill is generally characterized by a rapid rise to mediocrity followed by a lifetime of developing bad habits. The cost of learning on the road by making mistakes rather than being taught about the mistakes of others (in the safety of a classroom) is evident in aur insurance premiums as well as in the personal injuries and property damage caused. The Difference Between Initial Driver Training and Post Lioenoe Driver Educatiesi The primary fiction of initial driver training coursesand licence examinations is to ensure that the student knows the basic rules of the road and bas the necessary band-eye-foot coordination s1kills required ta operate a vehicle. Good courses will introduce t he topic of accident provention, but it is difficult ta teach students whase total bebinil the wheel driving experience may be less than 30 hours,' the subtleties of defensive driving. Past licence driver education is for individuals who have been driving for a minimum of one year, preferably two years and may have 10, 20 or 30+ years behind the wheel. These drivers know how to turn left and right, parallel. park, and so an. Post licence driver education helps students develop a botter understanding of how the variaus elements of the traffic environment interact and specifically how accidents occur sud 1mw ta, prevent them. Every profession (dactor, teachor, plumber, mechanie, secretary etc.) I a think cf bas acknowledged the benefits of initial training and follow-up improvemont pragrams, not because these s3kils cannot be learned without formnai training but because they are learned much more quicly and correctly with proper training. The best way ta reduce automobile insurance premniums is to reduce the number and severitY of traffic accidents. If you want ta, do yaour part, take a defensive driving course. In fact, encourage your famfly and friends ta, do the marne. Defenlsive driving courses are inform ativ, ueful" and a lat of fun. Drive Safely. «and Lb the te on mnent GENERA-L MOTORS recently dona- manager Nick-Hall (right) with Dur-. ted a video editing suiite to Durham ham College media services mana. College. Above, GM media relations ger Terry Capar. B.F. :O : IC wr r DU NLOP lira§ VAN HEMMEN TIRES 317 Hopkins St. Whitby Mon.-Fri. 8a.m.-6p.m. Sai. 8a.m.-2.pm. r-ý- i566m2l2l E-j--