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www.durhamregion.com THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, MARCH 31,2004 PAGE A5 New service lets parents know how their teens drive JANE MCDONALD Staff writer DURHAM -- Big brother -- and just about everybody else -- could be watching our young drivers, now that a » nationwide service has been launched to alert parents about their teenagers' bad habits behind the wheel. The program, which was launched in B.C. March 15, is called Tell Mom Services, and it's the brainchild of Kamloops residents Bryan and Wendy Rairdan. Now, for an annual $80 fee, Tell Mom will provide a bumper slicker with an identification number and toll-free phone number. When other drivers or pedestrians see a car with the sticker being driven unsafely by a teen, they can call the toll-free number, punch in the identification code, which is unique to each vehicle, and leave a voice mail for the corresponding régis- Public can nominate women of distinction DURHAM -- Nominations are now being accepted for the YWCA of Durham's 22nd annual Women of Distinction awards in May. May 13 beginning at 6 p.m., a banquet banquet will be held at the Holiday Inn. Up to six awards will be presented to women who have distinguished themselves themselves through their achievements as individuals, as members of their communities communities and as role models. Nominations must be in no later tljan April 5. Each nominee must be at least 18 year s of age, (unless the nomination nomination is for the Young Women of Distinction award), have a significant connection to and have made a contribution contribution in Durham Region during the past year, consent to nomination (no posthumous nominations will be accepted) accepted) and not be a previous award recipient, although nominees from prior, years may be re-nominated. Nominators should focus on demonstrating demonstrating their nominee's individual achievements, contributions to the well being of the community and contributions contributions as role models for other women. Nominators are not required to,designate a category or field in ; which the nomination is being made, except for the Young Woman of Distinction Distinction Award. .. Nomination forms can be picked up at the YWCA of Durham, 33 Mc- Grigor St., Oshawa. Completed nomination nomination forms, including the two required required signatures and cheque for $75 (covering the price, of the nominee's ticket), along with any additional information, information, must be postmarked or received received no later than April 5 at YWCA of Durham, 33 McGrigor St., Oshawa, LI H 1X8 and should be sent to the attention attention of'Shelley Rolland. .. All nominations received by the closing date will be acknowledged with letters to the nominee and the nominator. All nominees and their nominators will be invited to a tea on April 20. " . A selection committee of women across Durham Region will go over the nomination forms and select the award winners. ' ' Nominators and guests are required required to purchase their own tickets. Tickets, which are $75, can be purchased purchased by calling 1-877-426-9922. SAV£ SPECIAL iu TODAY'S THIS WEEK To have your livers delivered by Durham's #1 Carrier Force! Call 905-579-4407 Wednesday Mar. 31,2004 • Pizza Pizza* • Adventist Books* • SAAN* • Sportmart* • Bay* •McGregor IDA* • Staples* • Clarington Home Renovators* • Partsource* • Payless Shoes* • Fresh off the Vine* T lx its mil nvcvsMirilx in all |ia|ivrs Iti im■mill i. all insvi Is. ilklulling I host mi ^lnss\ |ia|ivr, van lie rvvx civil xxilli I lit- vest ill xmii iivxxs|ia|ivi llimn^li xnni Itlnv Uns Uvi \ i linu pi o)4i am. tered parent. "There's a missing link in the chain of communication between members of the public and parents of teen drivers," drivers," says Mrs. Rairdan, 32. She and her 30-year-old mining engineer husband husband have no children. Since the service began, seven parents parents have registered and Mrs. Rairdan says she's been on the phone ever since. "I've been on the phone receiving phenomenal support from B.C. to Saint John, N.B.," she says. "Of course, some of the teens are not happy about their parents registering, but it's all about promoting safety." She describes her role as that of "a conduit" between the public and concerned concerned parents, and cites Transport Canada's 2002 statistics, which recorded 331 teenage fatalities as the result of collision and 30,000 injuries. Mrs. Rairdan, who worked as a nurse before developing the new ser : vice, is also working on creating stick-, ers for motorcycles. "It's a place for anybody who wants a sticker for any reason," she says. When asked if young people might feel the bumper sticker on the vehicle they're driving suggests a lack of confidence confidence from their parents,. Mrs. Rairdan Rairdan says she's already dealt with the question. "One parent said there was a trust issue involved, but by the time she left my office, I had her turned around," she says. "Trust has nothing to do with inexperience." Nancy Codlin, president of Mothers Mothers Against Drunk Driving in Durham Region says she hasn't heard of the program, but noted that several free programs already exist to report on bad driving. "For impaired, (MADD already has Operation Lookout, and there's Crime Stoppers and Road Watch," she says. Ontario Provincial Police Staff Sergeant Dave Durant agrees. "We already have the police for the public to call..." says the veteran officer. officer. "And if a uniformed officer comes to the door and talks to Mom and Dad, it has an impact. In my own experience experience as an investigator, when there was a complaint, I'd meet with the teenager with Mom and Dad present. Having a uniformed officer walk into your kitchen and have a discussion has more of an impact if it's free." Right now, Mrs. Rairdan is developing developing contacts and says she's made some presentations in informal social settings. She hopes one day to speak to young drivers in schools. "It's a passion," she adds. How Tell Mom works Parents pay $80 to register with Tell Mom Services and to receive a bumper sticker with a unique identification identification number and a toll-free phone number: 1-866-YOU-2-MOM. The bumper sticker on a teen's car allows the public to place a free call, enter the identification number and leave a voice message for the parent about the unsafe driving they witnessed witnessed the your driver commit. Tell Mom's call centre system then automatically sends an e-mail to parents parents alerting them to new messages which they are able to retrieve by calling calling the same toll-free number and entering entering their own individually assigned code. Visit www.tellmomservices. com for more information or call 1-866- YOU-2-MOM. Got a good news story? 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