Small Town News

County teens take safe driving challenge for all its worth

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No traffic violations or atfault accidents for 1000 days and you will be $1000 richer. Sound easy?

For several area teens, the challenge was put to the test.

Through the North Dakota Farm Bureau, drivers under the age of 18 can take the challenge. The program was developed in 2006 as a safe driving program to encourage safe habits among young drivers.

According to North Dakota Farm Bureau Executive Vice President Jeffrey Missling, they have had 127 classes in 34 different cities in North Dakota and this first round of program graduates is only the beginning.

Over 800 young drivers throughout the state will be granted $1000 savings bonds.

Amanda Kingsbury of Grafton was among the finishers. Both of her parents, she said, are quite active in Farm Bureau and they got her involved in the challenge.

Amanda said that each time she got into her car, she thought about the program. Buckling up, watching her speed, and being cautious were all a part of the challenge, but eventually, it all became habit.

"The money was a big incentive, but it was more for my own pride," Amanda said. "It was a test to see if I could do it."

Each time she passed a cop, she admitted, she was a bit scared of being caught doing something wrong. Coming home from Summerfest in Grafton, she said, she accidentally crossed the white line. She was pulled over and given a warning. Amanda was terrified that she would get a ticket and have to explain to her dad that she was out of the program.

"Warnings you can get by with, but as soon as you get a ticket, you're off," Amanda said.

When she entered the program, her mother, Leah Kingsbury, had to attend the class as well. Amanda said that she relied on her mom to reinforce the rules of Route 1000 that they learned in class and keep her on track.

Amanda, who is now a student at the University of Mary in Bismarck majoring in biology and minoring in chemistry to go into optometry, has become an example for her sister who is working through her 1000 days.

Amanda recommends any teen who can, take the challenge.

"You have nothing to lose from it," she said.

Her father, Barry Kingsbury, said as long as the Farm Bureau continues Route 1000, his children will be a part of it. He said that completion of the 1000 days takes caution and a little luck, but just going though it has made his daughters more aware of issues with unsafe driving.

"As a parent, it's something I'm glad she went though," he said of his daughter, Amanda. "We think there's a value there."

He added that kids don't always listen to their parents so it helps when someone else, like Farm Bureau's program, is there to reinforce safe driving.

Along with Amanda, Nicole Woinarowicz of Grafton; Alicia Schultz, Stephany Rudnik, and Kristina Shuster of Minto; and Justin Hylden of Park River completed the 1000 days.

Drivers are accepted into the program regardless of prior violations or incidents. They take a safe driving class with a parent and at the end of the class teens are asked to drive safe, to not drink and drive, and to buckle up. With those three promises, their 1000 days begins.

The Route 1000 challenge is open to licensed drivers who are under the age of 18. The family of the driver must also be a North Dakota Farm Bureau member.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, North Dakota teen fatalities totaled 18 in 2006, 19 in 2007, and 12 in 2008. Teen fatalities dropped by 37 percent between 2007 and 2008.

"We encourage all drivingaged teens out there to get involved with this program," Missling said. "So far, this program has been a resounding success, however, we also recognize we still have a lot of work ahead of us. Hopefully, we can drop fatality rates even further as a result of more participation."

For more information go to www.ndfb.org, contact a local Nodak Mutual agent, or the county Farm Bureau.



Copyright 2009 Walsh County Press, Park River, North Dakota. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2009 Walsh County Press Park River, North Dakota. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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