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Teen Driver At Aloha Stadium

Teens Eat, Text During Driving Test

'Distracted Driver' Course Challenges Teens

POSTED: 4:26 am HST November 9, 2008
UPDATED: 5:34 am HST November 9, 2008

National statistics show that every year 6,000 teens die in car crashes, often due to driver distraction.

On Saturday, Hawaii for the first time hosted a "distracted driving" road course, thanks to Allstate insurance and a team of professional instructors who have offered the course to teens in 30 states.

"Distracted driving can be deadly," Allstate's Lindsey Pease said. "Driving drunk is not the No. 1 killer of teens. It's distracted driving."

Just driving and avoiding obstacles is tricky enough. Try adding a few distractions, like food, music and texting.

For the test in a lot at Aloha Stadium, teens were asked to drive on a course with orange cones while performing various distracting tasks that they might try in the real world. Teens were asked to open a water bottle and get a drink before the end of the course. Teens also were asked to eat chips and text message while they were driving.

"Let's get going," one instructor said as he turned up the radio.

"Oh, God!" said one teen as she began the course with a cell phone in her right hand.

The Pearl City student drivers have their teachers to thank for some solid training.

"You have to have nerves of steel, I guess," one said.

One teen was asked how many cones she hit during the course.

"Like, six?" she said.

Mother Debbie Watanabe said it was harrowing to drive with her daughter during the test.

"Do you know CPR? I don't know if you heard me, but I was screaming all the way there," Watanabe said. "It was spooky."

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