Friday, April 16, 2010

A Sad Refrain, "93,93,93,93,93....." Keep Kids Alive!

Dear Friends in Safety,

For those old enough to remember vinyl records, you can identify with the sound of a song skipping, repeating the same line over and over and over.

The sad refrain when it come to traffic incidents is that the number 93 repeats itself over and over and over again every day of the year. 93 represents the average number of sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, moms, dads - in short, loved ones - who die each and every day of the year on American roadways.

Past research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that when measured by deaths per miles driven on a particular type of roadway (highway, major arterial, feeder, local) that local roadways, which include all residential streets, have a death rate over twice that of the death rate on highways. This fact is all the more reason to pay attention to our behaviors from the very moment we get behind the wheel and back out of the driveway or pull from the curb - see Kids and Cars. This means we walk around our vehicle in the first place to make sure no children are in the area. Then, we make sure to buckle up, observe the speed limit - or go slower when people of any age are present, stop at all stop signs, and observe all other rules of the road as we begin our journey each day. These are the behaviors that lead us toward the only number that matters when it comes to roadway deaths or injuries - "O!"

Invite your neighbors, and, indeed, your whole community to get involved in making "O" the target for deaths and injuries on all your local roadways. All the information to help you get organized and spring into action can be found at KKAD25 Start-up.

“Don’t let the 2 minutes you ‘save’ be the last 2 minutes of someone’s life.” David Townsend – Tia’s dad.

In safety,
Tom Everson
KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® - A Non-Profit "For Action" Organization 501(c)(3)
402-334-1391
kkad25@kkad25.org
www.KeepKidsAliveDrive25.org

Monday, April 12, 2010

"Get Green" for Keep Kids Alive Drive 25!

Recycling Cell phones for Keep Kids Alive Drive 25!

Dear Friend of Keep Kids Alive Drive 25,

You and your company are invited to support the mission of Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 without spending or sending any of your own money.

How? By collecting used and unwanted cell phones on our behalf.

Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 is partnering with Get Green to Get Green, a cell phone recycling company dedicated to the ecological disposal of electronic products, to raise money for our mission.

What we are asking you to do is to hold a cell phone fund raiser within your company or community to support the work of Keep Kids Alive Drive 25. You can do this by donating your corporate cell phones the next time you give your employees new ones and by inviting your employees to donate their unwanted cell phones on our behalf. You can also place collection boxes in stores and invite customers to support Keep Kids Alive Drive 25.

Running a cell phone fund raising collection will only take a little of your time but can be a real benefit for Keep Kids Alive Drive 25.

To support us, you need only log on to www.GetGreentoGetGreen.com and do the following:

1. Register at
http://ggtogg.com/eco-fundraising/sign-up-today/ Be sure to indicate the number of collection boxes you need. You will then receive these boxes by UPS, information to help you hold the collection, and shipping labels for returning the boxes. There is no charge for these materials.

2. Designate Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 as your charity of choice. You do this by having the check made payable to Keep Kids Alive Drive 25. We will then receive the money earned from your recycled cell phones.

3. Plan and hold the fund raiser. Let your employees know how they can support Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 through this simple and eco-friendly event.

4. When you've completed the collection, seal the boxes, attach the shipping label you've received, and have UPS pick up the boxes.

When the collection is completed we will notify you of the number of phones collected by you on our behalf and the amount of money we received from your efforts. Please let us know when you sign up so we can keep a record of partners.

To learn more about the mission of Keep Kids Alive Drive 25, visit
www.KeepKidsAliveDrive25.org. To learn more about the ecological value of cell phone collection, go to www.getgreentogetgreen.com.

Thank you so much for your continued support of Keep Kids Alive Drive 25.

“Don’t let the 2 minutes you ‘save’ be the last 2 minutes of someone’s life.”

David Townsend – Tia’s dad

In safety,
Tom Everson
KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® - A Non-Profit "For Action" Organization 501(c)(3)
402-334-1391
kkad25@kkad25.org
www.KeepKidsAliveDrive25.org









Communication Keeps Kids Alive!

Dear Friends in Safety,

Have you ever been frustrated because another driver did not signal before pulling into your lane. Perhaps we ourselves have been guilty of such a manuever at times, catching ourselves only after making the lane change.

The core of our frustration with other drivers, and sometimes ourselves, is a failure to communicate. Good communication is as critical with other drivers as it is in any relationship. The question becomes, "What does our driving communicate?"
  • Speeding communicates not only a disregard for the law, but more importantly a disregard for the safety of others, as well as ourselves. No one wants to be the person who hits and injures or kills another. Yet, if we speed our behavior communicates the message that we do not care about the safety of others, let alone ourselves or passengers (often loved ones) in our own vehicle. A AAA Foundation study demonstrates that speeders are 3X more likely to crash than motorists who obey the speed limit. Make a difference on your neighborhood street - Keep Kids Alive Drive 25.
  • Stop-sign running is similar in that we show little or no regard for the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and other motorist who might be entering a crosswalk or intersection protected by a simple message - STOP! The correct approach is to Stop! Take 3 To See - come to a complete STOP. Then,look left, look right, look left again to make sure the intersection is truly clear. These three seconds could save a life, and save yourself a lifetime of regret.
  • Tailgating is another form of communication that indicates lack of regard for the safety of others and ourselves. Fully 29% of crashes are attributed to following too close. The ability to create appropriate spacing between our vehicle and others is totally in our control. Remember, "It's Not a Race! Create Space."

May your nerves be calm, and may your behaviors behind the wheel communicate the fact that you indeed care about your own safety as well as the safety of others. People who love you, as well as people you have never met, are depending on you to communicate that you care.

Don’t let the 2 minutes you ‘save’ be the last 2 minutes of someone’s life.” David Townsend – Tia’s dad.

In safety,
Tom Everson
KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® - A Non-Profit "For Action" Organization 501(c)(3)
402-334-1391
kkad25@kkad25.org
www.KeepKidsAliveDrive25.org

Thanks to all who financially support the mission of KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25®. Your support is needed all year long. Donate today at
KKAD25 Donate. Your generous giving keeps kids living. For more information about us, please click on our KKAD25 GuideStar Non-Profit Report.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Safe Routes to Schools Help Keep Kids Alive

Dear Friends in Traffic Safety,

Recent articles highlight the huge discrepancy in the number of children who walk to school today versus 40 years ago. See:

• Getting Kids to Walk to School
• Safe Routes to School Programs Encourage Active, Safe Trips to School

A key concern for parents is the safety of their children in light of the speed of traffic, drivers running stop signs, and other unsafe driving behaviors.

That is why communities including Hastings, Nebraska and Ridgewood New Jersey have integrated Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 into their Safe Routes to Schools educational efforts to engage all motorists. This helps to create safer neighborhood roadway environments to enable children to walk and ride to and from school. You can do so in your community as well. Simply log on to Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 Start-up to begin planning in your community. Remember also that Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 is available to consult on-site to assist with your planning. Contact kkad25@kkad25.org or call 402-334-1391.

“Don’t let the 2 minutes you ‘save’
be the last 2 minutes of someone’s life.”
David Townsend – Tia’s dad.


In safety,
Tom Everson
KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® - A Non-Profit "For Action" Organization 501(c)(3)
402-334-1391
kkad25@kkad25.org
www.KeepKidsAliveDrive25.org

Saturday, April 3, 2010

What's In Your Wallet? The Best Reasons to Keep Kids Alive!

Dear Friends in Traffic Safety,

Sometimes people ask, "Why Keep Kids Alive Drive 25?" Why drive the speed limit, or slower in the presence of pedestrians, children at play, and cyclists? Also, "Why stop at stop signs?" A lot of times no one is even around.

The simple answer to these questions resides right in your wallet. Most people carry photos of loved ones. If you fit this category, take out your wallet and take a long look at the photos of people you love, and who love you as well.

The simple, and best, reason to drive the speed limit and to stop at stop signs is that by doing so we each do our part to keep the loved ones of others, as well as ourselves, alive. A AAA study showed that speeders are 3 times more likely to cause a crash than those who do not speed. A Safe Kids International study reported that an average of 200 pedestrian deaths and 17,000 injuries occur each year as a result of drivers running stop signs.

The only way any of us can become accomplished at any skill is by practicing it over and over and over. When we practice driving the speed limit, and adjusting downward as people and weather conditions dictate, we become part of the solution of lowering death and injury rates on our neighborhood streets, and beyond. Similarly, when we Stop! Take 3 To See at every stop sign, we become well-versed in practicing a behavior that will make a difference the one time (or more) that a bike, running child, or other motor vehicle seemingly appears out of nowhere. We will have done the one thing necessary to prevent a tragedy, not only for another person, but also for ourselves. No one wants to be behind the wheel and hit someone. Yet, if we speed and run stop signs, we put ourselves in the position to be the person who harms someone’s loved one. And by violating the rules of the road, we are at fault.

As summer approaches, more kids are out and about, and people of all ages are out walking and riding. Take the time to mobilize your neighborhood by starting a Keep Kids Alive Drive 25® campaign, or simply place a KKAD25 yard sign on your lawn to remind yourself and others of the need to take it slowly. The life saved could be someone you love. Remember to look in your wallet and remind yourself of loved ones staring back at you from those photos. They will always be the best reason to commit to keep all kids alive. To get started, simply click on KKAD25 Start-up.

In safety,
Tom Everson
Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 - A Non-Profit Organization
www.KeepKidsAliveDrive25.org

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

76,000 Pedestrian Deaths - Keep Kids Alive!

Dear Friend in Traffic Safety,

Deb Hubsmith, Director of Safe Routes to Schools National Partnership, reports that, “In the past 15 years more than 76,000 Americans have been killed while crossing or walking along a street in their community.” That is an average of over 5,000 pedestrian deaths each year (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration-NHTSA).

Some of the families of loved ones who have died have a special connection with Keep Kids Alive Drive 25. These include the families of Shaye Martin (FL) , Kyle Foster (TX), Justin Faust (MO), Ashley Steffan (WI), Tia Townsend (WA), Nadia Chowdhury (IL), Nicolas Riconosciuto (FL), Sierra Feaster (NJ), Stephen Schroeder (KY), Anna Diffenderfer (PA), Melissa Tindell (FL), and Matt Schmill (NE).

One death is one death too many. We must be proactive, not simply reactive, in our efforts to prevent roadway deaths and injuries. Towards the goal of “zero deaths,” the only acceptable target, it is never too early to make a difference in engaging all residents in creating a safer environment on and along roadways to benefit pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. Click on the following links to find out how you can make a difference today.

¨ Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 in the News in Edison, NJ – Edison is one of the participating cities in the 4th Annual Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 Day on May 1st. Click on Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 Day to learn about how your community can get involve. The first 10 communities with a plan of action will receive a free starter kit of key chains, bumper stickers, and brochures to support your efforts. We welcome corporate sponsors – contact kkad25@kkad25.org or call 402-334-1391.
¨ Making it Safe to Walk and Bike – Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 supports Safe Routes to Schools and Complete Streets. Several communities have integrated Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 as a key educational component of their Safe Routes to Schools initiatives. Learn more about what your community can do at KKAD25 Start-up. Also see Safe Routes to and from Schools are No Accident
¨ National Youth Traffic Safety Month Information at www.NOYS.org. For more ideas, click on KKAD25-National Youth Traffic Safety Month
¨ Safe Roads 4 Teens Coalition
¨ 1,000 People Who Care-Keep Kids Alive!
¨ The Tipping Point, Broken Windows, and Neighborhood Traffic Safety

As always, stay safe as we march towards spring.

“Don’t let the 2 minutes you ‘save’ be the last 2 minutes of someone’s life.” David Townsend – Tia’s dad.

In safety,
Tom Everson
KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® - A Non-Profit "For Action" Organization 501(c)(3)
402-334-1391
kkad25@kkad25.org
www.KeepKidsAliveDrive25.org

Thanks to all who financially support the mission of KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25®. Your support is needed all year long. Donate today at KKAD25 Donate. Your generous giving keeps kids living. For more information about us, please click on our KKAD25 GuideStar Non-Profit Report.

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Families Crushed by Life Teach Us to Keep Kids Alive

Dear Friends in Traffic Safety,

A recent reflection invited me to think about how those who have been crushed by life; that is people who have experienced tragic loss of the lives of loved ones, possessions, homes, and more, often are the best ones to teach us how to discover great good in the midst of sorrow and heartbreak.

This resonates with me as I consider the great good that families bring into our world in memory of a loved one who has died in a tragic motor vehicle incident. These families have been crushed by what life, and death, has brought their way. Yet, in the midst of the deepest grief any of us could imagine, they work tirelessly to make sure that no other family experiences what they have endured.

These families include people like:

  • The family of Graeme Preston, who in the wake of his death along with his friend, Kevin, established the Graeme Preston Foundation to support teens doing acts of kindness in their community to make the world a better place. The foundation was instrumental in supporting the success of the 1st "Keep Kids Alive 5K Run" spearheaded by students at Colts Neck, NJ High School to raise funds to begin Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 initiatives in Monmouth County.
  • Barbara Foster, mother of Kyle who died after being hit by a car on Halloween night of 2003. With the support of friends and legislators, "Kyle's Law" went in to effect in May of 2005 allowing Texas municipalities to more easily lower residential limits from 30 mph to 25 mph. Remember, pedestrian fatalities triple in 30 mph zones vs. 25 mph zones. A 5 mph lower speed limit in residential zones truly can be the difference between life and death.
  • Maria Caifa, mother of Jacqueline and Christina who died as a result of being hit by a state trooper who ran a stop sign at high speed during a pursuit. Maria introduced Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 to the Northfield, NJ community as part of the Memory Walk to raise funds to support the education of orphaned girls in Bangladesh.
  • Sean Martin, father of Shaye, who has worked with and through the "Project Citizen" class at Miami Lakes Middle School in Florida to enact legislation that makes school zones safer for pedestrians and motorists alike. Shaye died as a result of being hit by a speeding driver while walking on the sidewalk to school. The legislation crafted by these students in cooperation with Miami Lakes city officials is now being brought to the Florida State House in an effort to create safer school zones Statewide. Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 has been privileged to support their mission.
  • Shari and Rob Reynolds who began the C.A.R. Foundation to reach out to and educate teen drivers in the wake of the death of their daughter, Cady, who was hit and killed by a distracted teen driver who ran a red light. They have expanded their efforts through their involvement in the formation of FocusDriven.

This is just a starter list of the good brought in to our world by family members who could have been crushed by death, but rather chose to teach us all to live more fully, and to care more deeply in our behaviors towards one another. Today and everyday, can we accept their good works as an invitation to be considerate in all our actions on the road by not speeding, observing all traffic signs and signals, buckling up, not tailgating, and avoiding all distractions that interfere with our ability to drive - cell phones (for any and all purposes), eating, concern with the radio or any media device, and more.

May we each drive as if our life and everyone else's life depends on it. Because it does! And let's remember the words of David Townsend, who in memory of his daughter, Tia, who was struck and killed while walking across a marked crosswalk by a driver that pulled around a driver who had already stopped to let her and her friend cross - "Don't let the 2 minutes you 'save' be the last 2 minutes of someone's life."

In safety,
Tom Everson
KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® - A Non-Profit "For Action" Organization 501(c)(3)
402-334-1391
kkad25@kkad25.org
www.KeepKidsAliveDrive25.org

Thanks to all who financially support the mission of KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25®. Your support is needed all year long. Donate today at KKAD25 Donate. Your generous giving keeps kids living. For more information about us, please click on our KKAD25 GuideStar Non-Profit Report.