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Gizmo helps mom & dad keep eye on teen drivers
BY JOSE MARTINEZ
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Thursday, February 24th, 2005
When teenagers take the wheel, parents can follow them without appearing in the rearview mirror - or even leaving the house - thanks to some new spy technology.
Devices that track how fast and how far young drivers go is hitting stores, creating peace of mind for jittery parents who hand over the keys - and an annoyance for kids who pine for the open road.
"It's like getting spied on," complained Jawan Ramsey, 16, of Brooklyn. "There's no more freedom when every move can be recorded."
Companies are rolling out tracking devices that record teen drivers' speeds, locations, even dangerous curves. Some even set off alarms or dash off E-mails to parents if the rules of the road aren't followed.
"If the kids don't like it, too bad," said Robert Sinclair, spokesman for the Automobile Club of New York. "The No. 1 cause of death for teens is car crashes - more than guns, more than drugs - so every little bit counts."
More basic devices have to be unplugged from the cars' built-in computers to be read. Other, advanced units send data over cell-phone networks.
For $280, Road Safety International of California sells the "Teen On-Board" computer system, which monitors speed, seat belt use, hard braking and erratic driving.
"I've only heard of one case where a teenager said, 'Gee, I really want one of those," said Larry Selditz, the company president. "They still get the freedom but with one condition - and that condition is to drive safely."
Several other companies are introducing similar devices - all priced at under $500 - that they hope can put the brakes on reckless teen driving.
Marcos Pacheco, 16, of Brooklyn, said his father plans to install a tracker in a cousin's car.
"It's like your parents being the police," he said. "But for me, it would make things much safer."
Gizmo helps mom & dad keep eye on teen drivers
BY JOSE MARTINEZ
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Thursday, February 24th, 2005
When teenagers take the wheel, parents can follow them without appearing in the rearview mirror - or even leaving the house - thanks to some new spy technology.
Devices that track how fast and how far young drivers go is hitting stores, creating peace of mind for jittery parents who hand over the keys - and an annoyance for kids who pine for the open road.
"It's like getting spied on," complained Jawan Ramsey, 16, of Brooklyn. "There's no more freedom when every move can be recorded."
Companies are rolling out tracking devices that record teen drivers' speeds, locations, even dangerous curves. Some even set off alarms or dash off E-mails to parents if the rules of the road aren't followed.
"If the kids don't like it, too bad," said Robert Sinclair, spokesman for the Automobile Club of New York. "The No. 1 cause of death for teens is car crashes - more than guns, more than drugs - so every little bit counts."
More basic devices have to be unplugged from the cars' built-in computers to be read. Other, advanced units send data over cell-phone networks.
For $280, Road Safety International of California sells the "Teen On-Board" computer system, which monitors speed, seat belt use, hard braking and erratic driving.
"I've only heard of one case where a teenager said, 'Gee, I really want one of those," said Larry Selditz, the company president. "They still get the freedom but with one condition - and that condition is to drive safely."
Several other companies are introducing similar devices - all priced at under $500 - that they hope can put the brakes on reckless teen driving.
Marcos Pacheco, 16, of Brooklyn, said his father plans to install a tracker in a cousin's car.
"It's like your parents being the police," he said. "But for me, it would make things much safer."
