News

Female teens are twice as likely as male teens to use cell phones and other electronic devices while driving, according to a new in-car video study from the AAA Foundation of Traffic Safety.

The study also shows that many other potential driving distractions are common and problematic among teenage drivers.

The AAA Foundation study is the first study using in-car video footage to focus on teen distracted driving.

Researchers identified the prevalence and consequences of various distracted driver behaviors among teens.

They also identified the prevalence and consequences of distracting conditions that teens face.

These behaviors and conditions vary based on the presence of passengers, the time of day, the sex of the driver, and other potentially important factors.

“Cell phones, texting, personal grooming, and reaching for items in the car were among the most common distracting activities that the cameras caught inside the cars of new teen drivers,” says Cynthia Harris, AAA Northern California spokesperson. “This new study provides the best view we’ve had about how and when teens engage in distracted driving behaviors, which are believed to contribute to making car crashes the leading cause of teenage deaths.”

The main findings from the report show that gender played a role in some of the observed distractions.

Females were nearly twice as likely as males to use an electronic device while driving, and overall, were nearly 10 percent more likely to be seen engaging in other distracted behaviors, like reaching for an object in the vehicle (nearly 50 percent more likely than males) or eating or drinking (nearly 25 percent  more likely than males).

On the other hand, males were roughly twice as likely to turn around in their seats while driving and were also more likely to communicate with people outside of their vehicle.

“Drivers are three times as likely to take their eyes off the road when using electronic devices. They were also two and a half times more likely to look away from the road when engaged in other behaviors.” says Harris. “A second may not seem like much, but at 65 miles per hour a car travels the length of a basketball court in a single second. That extra second can mean the difference between life and death.”

AAA Foundation data analysis also found that potentially distracting activities significantly decreased when parents or other adults were present in the car.

In contrast, loud conversations and horseplay were more than twice as likely to occur when multiple teen peers, instead of just one, were present.

These distractions are particularly concerning, as they are associated with the occurrence of crashes, other serious incidents, and high g-force events.

Drivers were six times as likely to have a serious incident when there was loud conversation in the vehicle, and they were more than twice as likely to have a high g-force event when there was horseplay.

Parents can improve teen drivers’ safety as they start to drive on their own by following these tips:

• Practice, practice, practice. Once teens have their actual license, continue to ensure that basic skills are mastered and to introduce varied driving conditions such as snow and heavy traffic rural roads with an experienced driver in the passenger seat.
• Keep passengers out. Teen drivers’ crash risks multiply with teenage passengers in the vehicle. Set limits and enforce them consistently.
• Limit night driving. Reduced visibility makes night driving riskier for drivers of all ages. For inexperienced teens it’s even harder. Allow new teen drivers to drive at night only if it’s truly necessary for them to practice driving in the dark with a parent.
• Keep setting rules. Establish and enforce rules above and beyond state laws. In addition to night and passenger limits, set rules for inclement weather, highways, cities, or other driving conditions in which a teen has not gained enough experience. Find a parent-teen agreement on www.teendriving.aaa.com that can help.

The data for this report came from an analysis of video clips collected as part of a three-phase naturalistic study of 50 North Carolina families with novice teen drivers.

The first study looked at how parents supervise their teens during the learner’s stage, and the second examined how teen behaviors and driving conditions shift during the transition to unsupervised driving.

For the current study, 7,858 clips from the first six months of unsupervised driving were re-analyzed to investigate distraction specifically.

MENDOCINO COUNTY, Calif. – A Willits woman was remanded Wednesday afternoon to serve 13 years in prison for torching her Brooktrails home with her quadriplegic son inside, and endangering the lives of local firefighters by using propane and oxygen tanks as accelerants.

Nancy Jo McGinty, 52, was sentenced to state prison by Judge Richard Henderson in Mendocino County Superior Court.

Last November, McGinty entered guilty pleas to felony charges of arson of an inhabitated building, and attempted voluntary manslaughter. Judge Henderson sentenced McGinty after a 10-day review of recommendations from the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office, the probation department and her attorney.

Eyster said after Wednesday's court hearing that he believes justice has been served in the high-profile case.

“While I won’t downplay the attempted taking of her son’s life, the defendant’s misconduct placed the entire community and its firefighters at great risk,” said Eyster.

As part of McGinty’s sentencing, she was ordered to reimburse the Brooktrails Fire Department for its costs incurred in the firefighting effort.

Henderson on Wednesday denied McGinty’s request for probation, citing the potentially fatal dangers her disabled son and firefighters faced because of her actions.

McGinty claimed she too was in the house when the fire broke out but firefighters said they scoured the home and didn’t find her until the next morning.

She was found the next morning unharmed in a master bedroom bathtub that had been checked the night before.

Addressing the court at the first half of the sentencing hearing that took place on March 16, 2012, McGinty tearfully asked for probation, citing the mental and physical exhaustion she claimed to have suffered being a sole care provider for her quadriplegic son.

Judge Henderson on Wednesday said he empathized with McGinty’s plight, but he said McGinty was deluding herself by thinking her actions were rationale.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Lakeport man has been arrested for burglarizing a vehicle as well as for numerous outstanding warrants.

Michael Santos, 30, was taken into custody on Wednesday, March 28, according to a report from Sgt. Kevin Odom of the Lakeport Police Department.

Shortly before 8 a.m. Wednesday Lakeport Police officers responded to a call from a resident in the 800 block of Jerry Drive, with the resident reporting a male suspect rummaging through the interior of her unlocked vehicle parked at the residence, Odom said.

He said the suspect fled after being confronted by the victim.

An off-duty Lake County Sheriff's deputy saw Santos in the area of Boggs Lane and Oakcrest Drive

a few blocks away. Odom said the deputy knew Santos and also knew he had outstanding warrants for his arrest.

The deputy notified Lake County Central Dispatch and provided a description of Santos which matched that of the suspect seen rummaging through the vehicle on Jerry Drive, Odom said.

Lakeport Police units did an area check for Santos but he was not located, Odom said.

At approximately 2 p.m., a deputy located Santos in the 2900 block of Lakeshore Boulevard and arrested him for his outstanding warrants, Odom said.

LPD Officer Norm Taylor responded and ultimately recovered stolen property in Santos’ possession taken from the victim vehicle, according to Odom.

Santos was booked at the Lake County Jail for various warrants and theft from a vehicle.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contacted Lakeport Police Officer Norm Taylor at 707-263-5491.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A hazmat call last week at the East Lake Landfill in Clearlake led to the discovery of four methamphetamine labs.

Sgt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office said that on Thursday, March 22, at approximately 12:30 p.m. the Lake County Narcotics Task Force responded to the landfill at the request of the Lake County Fire Protection District HAZMAT Team.

Brooks said the Lake County Fire HAZMAT team had responded to the landfill after the operator of a bulldozer had run over a black plastic garbage bag as he was moving garbage.

The contents of the bag began to off gas, which produced a large visible chemical cloud, Brooks said.

The narcotics detectives located several two liter bottles containing both solid and liquid materials, according to Brooks.

Based on the detectives’ training and experience it was determined that the bottles were used to manufacture methamphetamine, using what is referred to as the “Birch Reduction” method, Brooks said.

He said a search of the trash by both the Lake County HAZMAT Team and narcotics detectives didn't provide any leads as to who was responsible for the labs. 

They also did not locate any additional items associated with the manufacturing of methamphetamine, he said.

Anyone with information about this or any other drug-related case in the unincorporated county can contact the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force's anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.

LUCERNE, Calif. – An early morning wind-driven structure fire displaced a couple from their home on Hendricks in Lucerne on Tuesday.

Northshore Fire Protection District Deputy Chief Pat Brown said Lake County Central Dispatch received multiple 911 calls about the fire, which was first reported at approximately 5:19 a.m.

In response to the calls the dispatch was increased to include equipment from Northshore Fire's Lucerne, Nice and Clearlake Oaks fire stations, according to Brown.  

Five minutes into the call, based on reports from the first arriving engine from Lucerne, Brown said the duty chief called a second alarm, with additional equipment from Upper Lake and Clearlake Oaks Stations dispatched.

Northshore units that responded included four engines, two medic ambulances, two chief officers and two support units, he said.

A very aggressive fire attack by first arriving units included roof ventilation on the multi level roof, and ceilings pulled in the garage area, living room and the cathedral ceiling in the master bedroom, Brown said.

The fire started on the exterior of the home near the recycle plastic container and the investigation continues, Brown said.

Red Cross was called to the scene and provided aid to the couple, including temporary housing, Brown said.

Fire loss to the home is estimated at around $80,000, Brown said.

Salvage covers were placed throughout the house, and Brown said high priority items of the residence were recovered.

A local contractor was contacted to provide board up and plastic covering for the home before the heavy rain fall started, he said.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department is investigating a weekend burglary to a downtown business.

Sgt. Kevin Odom said the Clearlake Club Bar, located at 210 N. Main St., was burglarized some time after 2 a.m. Sunday, March 25.

Odom said forced entry was made to a door at the rear of the business and cash was taken.

The break in was discovered at 10 a.m. Sunday, he said.

An unknown type pry tool appeared to have been used to gain entry, according to Odom.

He said the suspect, or suspects, cut power and phone lines to the business in an apparent attempt to defeat the alarm system.

A surveillance system for the business captured images of a suspicious subject who appeared to be lurking around the front doors of the business around 5:30 a.m. The image is shown above.

Anyone with information about this crime is encouraged to contact Lakeport Police Officer Destry Henderson at 707-263-5491.