The Antithesis of Grand Theft Auto.

THE PROBLEM
Today's youth is bombarded with media and peer pressure that glorifies risky behavior. Positive influences might come from parents/grandparents who are teaching our kids to drive, but we all know that the average 15 - 24 year old is strangely deaf to the warnings and instruction of the "lame" older generation. These kids listen to their peers. Period.

Even if the kids did listen to us "old folks", do you realize that the vast majority of U.S. high schools have dropped their drivers' education programs due to budget constraints? Consider also that many parents are working so long hours away from home that they are just not able to give the kids the driving time (experience) that will help them make good decisions in a critical split second.

Our precious kids are learning to drive by watching movies like Speed, and playing video games like Grand Theft Auto. It's no wonder we have over 3,000 young driver fatalities, and more than 250,000 serious injuries each year! (To give a perspective to the magnitude of the problem: the combat death toll for the SIX years of the Iraq war is now at 3403 [as of 1/9/09.])

Once the facts are understood, there is no debate that our nation's driving youth is at risk. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), "Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for 15-20 year-olds."

WHEN THEY SINK IN, THESE FACTS WILL SHOCK YOU!
According to NHTSA, in 2007 there were:
6,982 15-20 year-old drivers were involved in fatal car crashes.
3,174 15-20 year-old drivers were killed in car crashes.
252,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes.

We at SplitSecond think that it's time for a cultural change. Our program helps young drivers see the importance of driving safely, and encourage one another to make smart decisions.

How does SplitSecond work?
Founded in June 2008, SplitSecond is a not-for-profit company with a mission...to give drivers aged 16 to 24 the knowledge and inspiration to DRIVE SAFELY.

The SplitSecond program focuses on five behaviors: aggressive driving, distracted driving, impaired driving, speeding, and seat-belt usage. We will also address motorcycle, bicycle and pedestrian safety.

Our strategy is to connect with these drivers through a compelling creative campaign that they can adopt as their own. Our approach includes technology the kids will ultimately mold (interactive website, YouTube and Facebook presence, twitters), collaboration with school and organizations, awareness events such as concerts and races, print, billboards, bumper-stickers, driver's training videos, and PSA's.

To measure our success, we are implementing a pilot project in Florida's Orange and Seminole counties, however the developed program can be implemented anywhere in the U.S. prior to final statistical analysis. Our overall goal with the 36-month pilot program is to achieve:

40 percent reduction in injuries (aged 16-24) in the study area.
40 percent reduction in fatalities (aged 16-24) in the study area.

SplitSecond is managed by Jackie VanderPol, Lennon Moore and Elisa Rhor; and guided by an appointed board of directors. Funding is through various grants, corporate and individual sponsorships, and fundraising events. Packages and support is available for other schools and organizations outside the pilot area.