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Cops CAIR and Teen Driver Fatalities

Written by Lynnette Spratley

According to a report from the National Center for Statistics and Analysis, 41 percent of the fatalities among young people involved in car crashes were drivers between the ages of 15 and 20. In fact, traffic accidents are the number one killer of teens in the nation. Studies show that speeding is a factor in about 30 percent of all fatal crashes.

Jim Griner, a sergeant with the Garden City, GA Police, says a major factor in speed-related traffic accidents among teens and young adult drivers is street racing, and early intervention and education is the key to curbing this lethal, illegal activity.

Griner has seen his share of tragedy involving teen drivers. Teens and young drivers who speed or race their cars on public roads lack the experience and skill that comes from practice, making them more vulnerable to sudden situations on the road, such as a blowout or a curve that is sharper than it appears. Too often, teens lured into a spontaneous race on public roads drive on both sides of the road, placing innocent drivers at risk. The consequences for both the racers and the unlucky drivers who encounter them are often tragic and final.

Griner wanted to find a way to help reduce the number of deaths caused by illegal street racing. With the aid of his wife, a registered nurse, Griner began developing a program using three basic concepts he calls ICE—Intervention, Cooperation and Education. Reaching out to youngsters, especially those poised to get their driver’s licenses, Griner’s program, called Cops CAIR (Cops Against Illegal Racing) can operate anywhere, from a tent and folding tables at local festivals, to the more formal arena of the classroom. The program combines visual aids, educational videos and one-on-one interaction in a non-threatening, non-authoritarian environment.

“You have to be able to step right in to the audience, gain their attention and offer a path that is straight and easy to travel (Intervention),” Griner said. “You also have to gain their trust so that they will allow you to guide them along the path (Cooperation). And finally, you have to show them the path in such a way that they will not forget how to follow the path when you are not with them (Education).” Griner and the volunteers and members who run the Cops CAIR program have an informal and friendly approach, giving teens the chance to talk about driving and racing without feeling as if they are being interrogated.

The quickest, most effective way to draw teens and young adults over to the Cops CAIR booth at fairs and festivals is with a hot car. Any flashy car will do, but the centerpiece of Griner’s display is a Mustang he built from the ground up, an attention-getter for all ages. Griner, who has built and raced numerous Mustangs, had a 1991 model he was working on for himself when he began planning Cops CAIR. It is a “show and go” car, one that looks good and runs fast. With most of the work already done on the car, Griner changed course and decided to use it for Cops CAIR’s displays.

To make the car work better for his display, he had a custom 10-point roll cage fabricated for the car. This shows visitors that production cars do not come with such devices to help keep them safe when they engage in illegal street races and crash, or are involved in accidents caused by other factors. Some of the interior was then replaced with racing seats and five-point racing harnesses. Griner said these devices also do not come in production cars and are designed to protect the driver during a collision.

Griner says Cops CAIR gives visitors plenty to think about long after they leave the booth or the classroom. Having a flashy car to see, sit in, and learn about is just the attention-getter. Also used are graphics to look at; true stories from survivors of street racing incidents; stories from victims’ family members; tales from full-time, active law enforcement officers; and motivational speakers.

A focus group report from Perform Tech Inc., released in September 2006, found that teens often have a distorted view of speeding and other driving issues. The report says teens see no danger in driving only a few miles above the speed limit. Some, influenced by such movies as “The Fast and the Furious,” do not feel that extreme speed or aggressive driving and rapid lane-changing are risky. These teens often participate in impromptu street racing, the study found.

Young drivers do not see themselves as limited by lack of experience and often do not realize that expert driving, like that seen in the movies and on the racetrack, is a skill that takes time and practice to develop. Street races often develop on interstate highways but can be even more dangerous on surface streets, where participants sometimes take up both lanes of traffic during the race. Too often, he says, an unsuspecting driver will come face-to-face with the racers around a curve or over a hill, and tragedy results.

It is difficult to develop statistics on how many of the more than 5,000 teens killed in passenger vehicle crashes every year have been involved in illegal street racing. Most young drivers are too afraid of the legal consequences of street racing to admit to it. Some do not survive to admit to it.

Networking is important for the program’s success, and it is not difficult to achieve. To make the program effective, Griner reaches out to other law enforcement personnel who share his love for racing and high-performance cars. Most already know one another and are eager to become part of the Cops CAIR program.

Officers who are familiar with the sport of racing also know the dangers of racing without proper safety equipment, training and venue. With their Prior experience and knowledge, training them to conduct Cops CAIR programs is much easier. They have the specialized skills and knowledge to carry on highly technical conversations with teens and adults alike. These officers are experts in the local racing scene and can offer safe, sane alternative suggestions for teens who would otherwise get involved in illegal street racing.

Financing an independent program like Cops CAIR takes some innovation. Griner arranged to participate in several area car shows to help raise funds for the program and has received sponsorships from several companies. Most of the funding so far has come from his own pocket, but he expects to have detailed information on applying for grants to help fund the program before school begins in the fall.

Cops CAIR is incorporated, and Griner expects to receive non-profit 501(c)(3) status soon. Departments that want to initiate a Cops CAIR program in their jurisdictions may find their cities or counties willing to foot the bill, especially if illegal street racing or teen driver fatalities are a big problem in that area.

Cops CAIR officially debuted in January 2009, which was too late in the school year for the vetting process most school boards need before approving a new course for their students. Griner says a written lesson plan is a must for most school boards to even consider adding the program to their curriculum. Because of the timing, Griner developed a step-by-step approach to get Cops CAIR into the community first and the schools second, but it can be done either way.

Griner says that if the program saves just one life, he will consider it a success. But he wants the program to save at least one life in many more jurisdictions than his own. He says that by sharing his lesson plan and step-by-step guide with other agencies, many lives can be saved. He has already done the “heavy lifting” in designing the program. Now, he says, he is eager to see it grow beyond the Georgia coast.

The program is specialized and requires specific knowledge about the sport of racing, race cars, dynamics of vehicles, street racing and law enforcement. Any agency interested in starting its own Cops CAIR program is invited to call, write or e-mail. Griner may be reached by mail at Cops CAIR, Inc., 475-A Northridge Street, Suite 20, Rincon, GA 31326; by phone at (912) 308-2566; or through his Web site www.copscair.org.

Lynnette Spratley is a freelance writer in Savannah, GA. She may be reached at lyn@lynsprat.com.

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