Sabtu, 23 Februari 2008

Teen Drivers - Distractions and Other Risk Factors

*by: Valerie Nay

Obviously, there are some pretty big differences in the danger factors between teen drivers and adults -- not the least of which are inexperience, risk taking, immaturity and greater risk exposure.
The good news is if we are paying attention, we can help kids stay more focused on safety as they navigate the teen driving years (and possibly reduce our own risks as fellow drivers).

The Facts:
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the crash rate per miles driven is four times higher for 15 to 20 year olds than for drivers over age 20. The National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration reports that motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death for younger drivers, and that distracted driving is a factor in one out of every four crashes.
What’s Behind It?
A recent policy statement “The Teen Driver” from the American Academy of Pediatrics cites these reasons teens are at greater risk:
* Lack of driver experience * Young age at licensure * Failure to use safety belts * Inadequate hazard-perception skills * Distraction (cellular phone, food, drink, music) * Transporting teenaged passengers * Nighttime driving * Speeding and reckless driving * Fatigue * Unsafe vehicle choice * Alcohol use * Drug or medication use * Inadequate parental limit setting * Unlicensed or revoked license * ADHD

The Distractor Factor!
The study also reports a direct correlation between the chances of being in a car crash to the number of teen passengers. 16- to 17-year olds have a 40 percent higher risk of crashing when they have one friend in the car, 50 percent higher with two friends, and four times higher with three or more teen passengers!

The IIHS & NHTSA recommend the following for parents:
* Don’t rely solely on drivers' education – it may be convenient but typically it doesn’t do as good a job as a parent can at focusing on safety attitudes and decision making. * Know the law – Restrictions on beginning drivers vary by state. * Restrict night driving – it requires more skill and is generally more recreational – creating distraction and more risk taking. * Restrict passengers – especially multiple teens. Nights are worse than days but passengers are always distractions for a beginning driver. * Supervise practice driving – spread it over six months, continue even after full licensure and include night driving and a variety of other driving situations. * Remember that you are a role model – practice safe driving yourself to increase the odds your child will drive safely. * Require safety belt use – don’t assume, but insist that your child wear a safety belt at all times. * Prohibit drinking – adopt a no-tolerance policy. Even a small amount of alcohol is an impairment to a teen. * Choose vehicles for safety, not image – select cars with the best protection in a crash and avoid cars that encourage speeding. * Make sure your child has emergency contact information with him or her at all times -- especially in the car.

Some parents use a written driving agreement to outline their expectations, set penalties and establish graduated driving privileges in advance. The elements of a driving agreement can include obeying laws, practicing safe behaviors and even maintaining the car.

About The Author
Valerie Nay is the founder of http://www.EmergencyContacts.com and writes a free monthly newsletter full of valuable information to help you and your family stay safe.

How To Design A Map Quiz That Even A Cartographer Would Love

*by: Brian Fong

Q. How can I design an interesting map quiz?
A. You can't. At least you can't if you intend to design a map quiz where you draw some geographical areas and then ask "Where is South America?". While that would definitely qualify as a map quiz, it wouldn't make the grade of an "interesting" map quiz.
There is a thin line between geography quiz and map quiz. Once you cross that line, and get away from the simple geography, you can make a map quiz downright interesting.

For example, you might design a map quiz that asks questions about how maps are actually made. A lot of people don't realize the magic that is needed to represent a round world on a flat piece of paper. Questions along this line could be very enlightening.

Another great set of map quiz questions could deal with how to navigate a ship using charts and a pair of dividers. You could ask them to determine how many nautical miles it is between two points.
Maybe you'd like to combine a map quiz with a scavenger or treasure hunt. Bury something valuable somewhere and then create treasure maps. The map quiz could ask questions that can only be answered by reading the map. As each question gets answered the person gets closer to finding the prize.

Another great idea would be to present a complex problem that has to be solved by being able to read and understand a map thoroughly. Here's an example:
You have 10 days vacation and decide to take a car trip around the United States.
You can drive no more than 10 hours per day and you can drive no faster than 55 miles per hour.
Your trip must start and end in the same State. Other than that, you may not visit any state more than once.
You must exit a state at the opposite border that you entered it from. For example, if you entered a state from the North, you must exit from the South. if you entered from the Northeast, you must exit from the Southwest.
At the end of each 10 hour period you must spend the night (14 hours) in a town or city whose name contains the letter "e".

Using the map, mark your daily route, including the number of miles driven, and circle the name of the town or city that you spent the night in. Be sure to write the day # as well.
The person who visits the most states in the 10 day period wins.
That ought to be a map quiz that will be remembered for some time to come.
Remember, a map quiz doesn't have to be dull and boring; use your imagination to develop a map quiz that challenges and stimulates.
About The Author
Brian Fong http://www.QuizFaq.com Quiz Faq - Your solutions for the quiz.

Planning A Child Care Startup?

*by: Dean Forster

A person, thinking about child care startup may very well be looking forward to a profitable business in the form of a child care center.
Setting up a child care center, is a flourishing business but it also requires a lot of dedication. The certain factors involved may be the cost of starting it altogether, making a business plan and looking after legal requirements.

These centers can also be started in spaces that are otherwise unoccupied during the entire week or within a school that has surplus space. If a child care center is set up within a school, it brings the advantage of having well coordinated programs.
After the location is decided, child care insurance is the next essential step. This is very crucial for starting a child care business. These centers offer dedicated services to working parents. Hence, these should provide a safe environment to the children. And, insurance works as an added security measure.

As this is a very fast growing industry, proper management is very important. This is also required to give the center, better recognition. As there are a number of child care centers, people will generally prefer the one that has a better management system. Therefore, better management system results in a flourishing child care center and great profit.

A management application is especially designed for childcare management that could be obtained before starting up the child care center. This software is easily accessible at a number of online and offline resources. This software provides complete, user-friendly and integrated modules that help in managing child records, billing and various accounting operations, available city subsidies, payroll records, direct deposits and preauthorized payment records. Find out more about childcare management at http://www.childcare-management.com
The child care software that maintains the records updates automatically. This helps the parents and family members understand the child's progress. It also provides an opportunity to them to observe the activities of the child. For the various child care institutions, security is of utmost importance. This security can be protected by using this software.

Finally, a business broker can be a good source of information. He could provide detailed information regarding a child care center like the availability of the area, its price, current market requirements and so on. He could not only provide you information but also help you strike the best possible deal of the infrastructure. Information of the brokers regarding a child care startup may also be found through a search on the internet.

About The Author
Dean Forster
Learn more about Childcare Management software, courses and daycare training at http://www.childcare-management.com

Kids and Money - Why Is It So Hard?

*by: Jenny Ford
We learn so many things as we grow up. We learn how to walk, talk, and get away with not doing our homework. We learn how to play complicated games, many of them involving pretend money.

So, why is it so hard for us to learn how to manage money?
Why do so many people struggle to make ends meet, even on reasonably high incomes?
Why do so few people manage to provide sufficiently for themselves in retirement?
It’s not rocket science. We know what it takes. And there are some people doing it. So why isn’t basic money management as widely understood as basic geometry?

Imagine what life would be like if making money came as easily and naturally as riding a bike or tying your shoelaces. Imagine graduating high school with a permanent, secure, passive income already in place. You wake each the morning to find more money has appeared in your account overnight! If you want to travel, you do. If you want to paint, write, or do any other creative activity, you do. You choose your occupation based on what you love to do, not the burden of having to pay the bills. You have all the time you need to socialise with your family and friends, to stay in shape, and to practice your spirituality.
This world is not a pipe-dream. It’s not unrealistic. The world is alive with opportunity, more so now than ever before, and the opportunity is expanding exponentially.
With the right knowledge and attitudes, today’s kids can capture their share of that opportunity, and set themselves up for life.
So, why isn’t everyone doing it?
Because not everyone’s parents have the right knowledge and attitudes to pass along to their kids. Some of those who have the knowledge and attitudes are still setting themselves up in life, working long hours, and find it difficult to break the knowledge down into terms their kids can understand.

What can we do about it?
As parents, we need to be conscious that financial education ranks up there with education about nutrition, health, and communication. We must educate ourselves, so that we can educate our children.

There are many places to go on the web to get that vital financial education.
The Cash Smart Kids program (http://www.cash-smart-kids.com) provides lessons for the kids, plus additional reference material for their parents.
The Rich Dad website (http://www.richdad.com) is rich in content, and contains information about the Cashflow series of educational board games.
There are numerous e-Books, ezine articles, and offline financial publications with an online presence.
And, of course, there are dozens of relevant books in your local book store.

About The Author
Jenny Ford is an expert in educating children about business and wealth creation. She is one of the founders of http://www.Cash-Smart-Kids.com, and her blog can be seen at www.RaisingEntrepreneurs.org.
She holds an Honours degree in Psychology, a Diploma in Training and Assessment Systems, and an Advanced Diploma in Business Management. She is the mother of three young entrepreneurs, all of whom started successful businesses when they were nine to twelve years old.