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Contact KY3 tests new teen driver monitoring programby Cara Restelli, KY3 News
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SPRINGFIELD -- A new device aims to protect teens on the road and give parents peace of mind. DriveSmart is the first program to feature an in-car monitoring device that offers real-time feedback, allowing teens to monitor their behavior and parents to know whether they're safe. ANPAC insurance company, based in Springfield, unveiled the DriveSmart program last month. It offers parents an incentive to put the device in their teens' cars. It's called Tiwi and it's so much more than a tattletale.
From hard braking to sharp turns and, yes, even no seatbelt, tiwi knows it all. It's the latest in teen monitoring devices. This one even uses GPS technology to detect speeding.
“I used to be quite the heavy foot,” said Abby Anderson, 18, who had Tiwi in her car for 18 months.
It's changing the way she drives.
“I don't brake as hard; I don't speed like I used to," said Anderson.
When her parents first installed it in her car, she wasn't happy.
“I felt like my privacy was invaded.”
After a while she warmed up to it.
“In the end, I do think, if it weren't for putting it in, I'd have a lot more speeding tickets right now,” she said.
In fact, she has none - and no accidents either.
“I’m one of the very few,” she said.
Her mom says she'd recommend it to any parent.
“I was surprised how fast the change took place,” said Sabrina Anderson.
When we put Tiwi to the test, it caught all of our driving mistakes. It also offers more than just advice on how to drive. Another interesting feature is a parent can set a border on the computer and, once the car drives out of that designated area, parents can receive a phone call, text message or e-mail message that the car left.
“For me, the experience of having security of knowing that she's okay or where she's at was a benefit as a mom,” said Sabrina Anderson.
Parents can even log onto the DriveSmart Web site to see how their kids are driving. It includes everything from a report card to incidents including speeding and aggressive driving.
It's not just a tattletale. Tiwi gives teens the chance to monitor their behavior before putting it on the Web site.
“The teen can immediately slow down and the incident wouldn't tell parents, and we found that's most effective because teens will change behavior,” said Greg Ostergren, ANPAC's chief executive officer and 2009 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety chairman.
He chose the Tiwi for ANPAC's DriveSmart program after seeing evidence that it works.
“The institute tested it for teen drivers and it had a substantial impact of decreasing risky behavior and, ultimately, crashes,” he said.
You do have to pay for the peace of mind. ANPAC customers can buy the Tiwi for about $450, plus $19.99 a month for monitoring. An 8- to 15-percent discount off insurance premiums can help offset the cost but Ostergren says there are other ways to save.
“It helps avoid speeding violations and other violations that may add to insurance," he said.
At an estimated $228 for just one conviction, Tiwi can quickly pay for itself.
“It will pay off in the long run,” said Sabrina Anderson.
It's enough to make even its biggest critics appreciate it now.
“I am a better driver now because of Tiwi, even though I didn't like it at first,” said Abby Anderson.
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