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SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, April 15, 2002: Sunnyvale police officer Russell Howard has witnessed many careless driving moves by teenagers in his 20-year career. In his dual role as an emergency medic, he has also seen the fatal consequences that can result. Now Howard runs a small sideline business that, for a $50 annual fee, supplies bumper stickers that ask: “How’s my teen driving?” An 800 number allows others to weigh in, and reports are passed on to parents via phone, fax or e-mail. “A lot of people are trying to get this going,” said Merry Banks, manager of the California State Automobile Association’s Traffic Safety Department. The stickers remain rare. Howard’s 1 1/2-year-old service has fewer than 50 subscribers. Yet other services have grown over time, along with awareness of the issue. Danville’s safedriver.com, nearing its third year, boasts about 900 participants in the Bay Area and beyond. Wisconsin’s tell-my-mom.com has similar numbers and even has a European offshoot. Nationally, motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death for teenagers. One parent confessed his teenager, “hated the sign.”

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