MARYSVILLE – Justin Corn says he’s a safe driver. Now his parents have way to verify that he is.
Corn, 16, of Marysville, drives a blue Ford Thunderbird. A bumper sticker on the back asks other drivers to call a toll-free number to comment on his driving skills.
Corn admits the sticker is embarrassing, but says the scrutiny stops him from speeding.
“Without it, I’d probably be going faster. It’s like having someone in the car next to you,” Corn said.
The sticker was created by a group of Marysville parents seeking a way to keep tabs on teen drivers.
Steve and Val Anderson started Teen Driver Reporting Service with several other parents in March. The business, which has a handful of clients so far, aims to prevent teens from getting hurt by correcting bad driving early, Steve Anderson said.
“We know that every kid drives safely out of the driveway. We also see teenagers every day driving with a blaring stereo or on a cellphone,” he said. “With a sticker on the car, they know they’re being watched.”
Anderson, a former long-haul truck driver, got the idea for the company after he was injured in an accident caused by a 15-year-old driver.
“After driving trucks and seeing stickers on the trucks for professional drivers, I thought it would be a great idea for teens,” he said.
Studies have shown the “How’s my driving?” stickers for truck drivers reduce accidents by up to 20 percent.
In Snohomish County, more than 1,000 accidents involving drivers age 16 to 19 are reported on highways every year, according to the state Department of Transportation.
“Our goal is to get that number down to zero,” Anderson said.
Teen Driver Reporting Service charges parents $12.95 a month to provide reports on their teenage drivers.
The Andersons answer the toll-free number 24 hours a day. They take down the details and note their impression of the caller’s credibility. Parents can get the reports online.
No one has called about Justin Corn’s driving, but his mother, Cheryl Corn, said the service is worthwhile.
“I’d rather hear it from them than a police officer after he’s received a ticket,” she said.
Reporter Katherine Schiffner: 425-339-3436 or schiffner@ heraldnet.com.
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