Young dri vers afeé id SUNDAY FOCUS Despite driver training, Nick Downs died speeding ‘Jan-Christian Sorensen Contributing Writer “And mounting upward, as he wings his flight, ch on his charge be turns his aking sight; parent birds, when first their callow care ave the high nest to tempt the liquid air. “ Then chrears him on, and oft, with fatal art, Reminds the stripling to perform his part...” 3 -- Ovid, Metamorphases, Book 8 ‘MOST of the items in Nick Downs’ room conjure ‘up images of a 16-year-old taking those tentative half-steps of a boy slowly becoming a man, Ba: A model of the Millennium Faicon trom the original Star Wars 7; trilogy sits perched atop a bookshelf that is home to toy robots and $ other assorted playthings. Sony Playstation and Nintendo 64 game ems Occupy a spot on the carpet, a pretzel-tangle of wires and ¢ cartridges. Crowded photos of smiling, exuberant teens are placed strategically throughout the room. A black Collingwood school blazer and blue-striped tie are slung over the back of a chair. Be Wes a delicate, deliberate balance of someone stretching for . ; ulthood but keeping one foot fixed firmly in the trappings of eC VOUT, . And that's where Nick Downs will forever remain frozen in the memories of his friends and family. t was three weeks ago today when the silver Mercedes Nick “was driving launched over a concrete divider on the Upper Levels ighway and plummeted into Cypress Creek at about 1:15 a.m. “West Vancouver Police say Downs was driving at an excessive ‘fate of speed at the time of the crash and lost control of the car while negotiating a curve on the highway. Placed on the couch in Nick's room are photos, hand-drawn & pictures and flowers accompanied by notes that bear out the grief Be, Of his young friends. . P| S-“You are forever in cur hearts,” reads one hand-scrawled scrap “paper. Individual offerings of flowers are also placed amongst Nick’s clothes in his closet. 4° “Nick was a very sensitive kid with a huge heart and an even er smile,” says Ian Downs, Nick’s father. : Two weeks after the accident, lan sits sullen and slouched aver or his living room sofa, taking pensive drags from a half-finished ech yerette as he remembers his firstborn. Wick, he says, was much more than a son. He was also a best Bi “Nick loved life. He loved his friends and family. Eic always had sinile on his face and never a bad word for anybody.” ) When Nick turned 16, Ian enrolled him in the Young Drivers of Canada program... Cosa Zi “iNlick was a pretty happy guy when he turned 16 last October. Chomping, at the bit to drive. [ was somewhat less enthusiastic,” Yan ‘wrote in’a letter that was read at a meniorial service for Nick. ‘At. the/sanic time his son was learning the ins and outs of safe | pointers, “He was'confident, comfortable with the car cry, very careful,” says Ian, nodding slightly. ‘And whén.Nick passed his learner’s portion of the graduated ‘gram, bought him én oider model. Volkswagen Jetta ar his first car.’ But he also let Nick take the Mercedes out on from time to Gime. The night Nick died was one such oczasicn. “It was his first date and when he asked if he could use the car because it was his first date [ had no hesitation because he was so careful,” said Tan. However, the next morning at 9:30, lan called U:: police when he discovered his son had not returned home the night before. Searchers discovered the shattered shell of the car about eight hours later. ¢o¢ lan’s story is one that ICBC’s Elizabeth Goldenshtein has become all too familiar with. In 1998, 35% of all deaths of people aged 13-25 were a result of motor-vehicle related accidents. “Motor vehicle crashes in general tend to be the number one killer of young people. That includes both as passengers and dri- vers,” she said. British Columbia presently has one of the worst traffic safety records in Canada with about 450 deaths per year due to motor vehicle accidents. Other statistics are just as telling: Wi In 1997 131 youths aged 13-25 were killed in motor vehicle collisions, Another 9,743 were injured in accidents; @ Onc in five new drivers is involved in a crash in their first two years on the road; & Fatalities and injuries in new drivers under the age of 20 have more than doubled since 1992; @ Licensed drivers aged 15-25 represent 15% of licensed drivers but are responsible for 38% of crash-related claims. Inane! to combat unsafe driving, the province adopted the Graduated Licensing Program (GLP) in August 1998. With GLP, a new driver must initially pass a written exam to obtain a learner’s licence. A tag bearing a black “L” on a red back- ground must also be affixed to the vehicle to signify the driver's status. New drivers are classed like this for at least six months, although they can reduce that duration by half widh a certificate from an accredited driver training program. During this period, the new driver must adhere to several reg- ulations. Whenever driving, they must be accompanied by a licensed driver, no driving is permitted between the hours of mid- night and five a.m. and there is a strict zero-tolerance policy regarding afcohol. After the time period has elapsed, new drivers may then take their Leve! 2 road test. Following the successful completion of a half-hour, on-the-road test, the learner is promoted to the status of “novice driver.” A green tag with a black “N” is ‘then affixed to the car, where it must remain for 18 months. i Following, that period and one more hour-long road test, the new driver is let loose on the roads. ; “The purpose of graduated licensing is that new drivers have longer to train and practise and as a result, they have more of a comfort level in the car by the time they become. class five licence holders,” said Goldenshtein. : *. Other provinces have had marked success with the adoption of the GLP fer new drivers. After intreducing GLP in 1994, Nova Scotia experienced a 19% drop in the collision rate for all drivers in the first three years and a 37% reduction in crashes among 16-year-old drivers alone. ; See Driver page 13 f i aoe. Sunday, May 28, 2000 — North Shore News - 3 t indestructible NICK Downs hugs younger sister Lauren at Christmas 1998. Lauren, now 13, spoke at a recent memorial for Nick, who dled in a car crash May 7. ICBC offers many. driver-ed programs ICBC has developed a number of youth programs designed to provide young drivers with the knowledge they need to successfully develop safe _ driving habits: _ B Road Sense Video Production Contest: This contest allows winners to attend film school for a week and produce their own ublic service announcements for television; |” eee GLP and Me: An award-winning, student-made video which quickly and easily explains the: be ba SE ae Graduated Licensing Program in a way young people ‘can relate to; : @ The Road Sense CAPP Package: Grade 9-12 teacher- resource packages designed for use within the Career and Personal Planning (CAPP) curriculum. Each package . explores issues of personal development, choice, attitude -and risk assessment within a; broad road safety. theme; - @ The Road Sense Speakers’ ‘Program: The program pro-’ vides school and community — groups with dynamic and - thought-provoking speakers . . that use personal experience to teach young people about the risks and rewards of ‘cars and driving; -.- mo, ny . Indestructible — the Tour: A new large-screen, fast-paced, multimedia production that combines videos, still images and ~ digital sound to dramatically. communicate driving nsk: and Gar érashes are the , i hiller-of youth - Working to make roads safer. AN. ICBC Road ‘Sense : safety poster designed to educate young drivers. a responsibility; : _@-Youth Employment Lnuitiative: The ICBC YEI- program provides meaningful. and challenging job opportunities ‘for young people throughout B.C. as they work with’ a variety of - ICBC road safety programs; ee : “e - os See Youth page Coming in Sunday Focus NEXT week in Sunday Focus Michael Becker: ‘looks at the larger picture of death on the North Shore and the grieving process. 9. : » To suggest a feature story that deserves to: be ocus” _ write to Martin Millerchip, North Shoze’ News, “113 ‘Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver, V7M 2H4, fax 985-2104 or. mail . :