Giveaway, Cell Control & Camp Mighty

I just returned from a conference in Palm Springs at The Ace Hotel called Camp Mighty.

It's about making goals.

My number one goal was to have a celebrity do a PSA that promotes driving safely as down right sexy.

Ryan Gosling didn't knock on my door but my roommate and Fix The Toaster contributor Shannon Noel sang her PSA for driving safe for some attendees outside of our room one night.

The first night I sat down I spoke to a woman about Fix The Toaster, she confided in me that her younger brother died at 21 in a car crash. I spoke to another woman who lost two friends.

BOTH of her friends had minor problems on a highway at night only to be struck and killed while waiting for help. Separate occasions. One was waiting inside the car on the shoulder, the other was waiting in the car.

"So, that's the system we've created?" Your car brakes down at night on a freeway and chances are high you might get killed by another car. I asked her, why not lower the speed limit at night?

It's a different way of thinking but that is what Fix The Toaster is about. I think we need to re-think the way we are accepting the high amount of mostly preventable injuries and fatalities on our roads, nationally and globably.

I heard a man named Lane Wood speak on behalf of individuals and how they can live a life of positive imp ace by creating social good strategy for our life or small business.

Afterwards, I approached him and said, I am not selling goods but rather my idea and handed him my card.

I  was surprised at how many people were surprised when I told them that car crashes were the number one cause of death to kids.

I get that reaction a lot to that fact but it still surprises me.

I returned home tonight to two packages.

One contained these fun socks that someone in my family will be wearing at the Conor Lynch Run that is coming up next Sunday in Sherman Oaks.

Conor lost his life to a distracted, texting teen.

The second package was from a company called CellControl.

They are giving me a product to test out that has technology to limit your ability to talk, text, email and surf the web while driving.

9-1-1 emergency call are always allowed.

They also say that parents, as the device is aimed at teens, but you know me I think parents are equally at fault and to blame, but that parents can easily setup an allowed list of phone numbers for inbound and outbound calling.

This is a product for teens and adults.

Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for people aged 15-20.

It's actually National Teen Driver Safety Week starting tomorrow. I look forward to testing this product out and giving one away.

It is an $89.90 product and I will be giving one away at the end of this week.

*****To be eligible I ask that you please like Fix The Toaster on Facebook and follow it on Twitter. It you aren't on Twitter no worries. Please leave a comment below as to why driving safe is important to you.

Why I'm Less Offended By My 3 Year-Old Saying Dickwad Then Someone Excessively Speeding

Tonight driving up a hill a person chose to excessively speed down it. We were in a residential neighborhood. "Slow down dickwad," I said. Somewhat like my former Governor as captured here.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONkdlhQavs0]

woops. Silence and then from the backseat.

"Are you going to call that guy dickwad?" from my 3 year-old.

"Dickwad guy," he repeated.

I paused not sure what to say, then answered,

"No, I'm not going to do that."

My 3 year-old said, "He's going to go to jail."

That was all that was said. My son obviously got the point that I was frustrated by yet another human choosing to drive excessively fast.

The person of course won't go jail. Maybe he will one day get into a crash and kill himself or someone else. I wonder if he will feel cool then?

I can hardly imagine that situation feels anywhere near cool.

Speaking of dickwads look up #drivesafe on Instagram and there are a lot of people who think it is funny to show themselves clearly not driving safely.

What if a pilot did this? What if it was of someone drunk driving? Distracted driving and driving dangerously should be penalized. Those videos should be yanked off of Instagram. They are irresponsible.

Are there Instagram pictures and videos of people yielding guns and laughing? Eh, maybe, I'll go Google that.

Overcast Morning in Los Angeles

I should be doing this. Organizing socks or something like that.

But instead I'm listening to Shannon Noel Webb's midnight recording via GarageBand of her original song for our Fix The Toaster PSA to be shot this Saturday.

Can't wait.

And this is how moms get it done.

The Baby on Board Sign, Why I Like It

"Did you buy this?"

My husband held the yellow Baby on Board sign by Safety First in horror and disbelief. Yes, I answered, but don't worry I've just got some ideas, it's for Fix The Toaster. He was relieved.

But the truth is my plans might makes him freak out more.

I plan to modify the sign. Add my own thoughts to it. And post my thoughts on the back of my minivan. I'll do this ever so often and post it here. I'll call it Read My Bumper Day.

I used to hate those signs, thinking the parents were egocentric, as if I care about your child more then my own life.

Now I think about the sign differently. At least it's asking nicely, please drive slowly or hey, this is why I am driving slowly.

Just yesterday I saw a sign that said Child On Board. I've never seen that.

So get ready for Read My Bumper Day. I'll only put my sign up for one day at a time. And I imagine I'll do it on days I'm driving on the freeway.

If you become inspired to put up your own version of a please drive safe bumper sticker please email me or post it using the hashtag #fixthetoaster

And if you are thinking I'm nuts....then let's pull out the old statistics again. The World Health Organization says that:

Key facts

• About 1.3 million people die each year as a result of road traffic crashes.
• Road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death among young people, aged 15–29 years.
• Over 90% of the world's fatalities on the roads occur in low-income and middle-income countries, even though these countries have less than half of the world's vehicles.
• Nearly half (46%) of those dying on the world’s roads are “vulnerable road users”: pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.
• Without action, road traffic crashes are predicted to result in the deaths of around 1.9 million people annually by 2020.
• Only 15% of countries have comprehensive laws relating to five key risk factors: speeding, drinking and driving, and the use of motorcycle helmets, seat-belts and child restraints.

The Sarah Lily Grace Fund

I went to an event this afternoon in Pasadena, called The Sarah Lily Grace Fund. 

I mention it here on Fix The Toaster for two reasons.

One, I was beyond inspired at the cause that the father Matthew Badger fights for. I'm beginning to look at the way other organizations with a mission run themselves. I blogged about the afternoon via my Expressing Motherhood blog.

Reason Two: While walking my 6 year-old and holding my 2 1/2 year-old to the private home I was not shocked at the fact that a few angry people sped by us on the slick roads, pissed off that a bunch of cars were parked on their beautiful, what I am assuming can only be a very quiet street in Pasadena.

Matthew Badger has spent almost a year dedicated to this fund, spurned by the unimaginable loss of his daughters.

A beautiful afternoon on a rainy cool LA Sunday, surrounded by supportive artistic LA parents and their kids.

Explaining Fix The Toaster to My Mom

I let my mom know about Fix The Toaster.

She looked at me like, oh no, what are you doing now.

In trying to explain Fix The Toaster I explain I want to do what MADD has done for drunk driving but for basically just for all people driving cars. It literally sounds ridiculous to explain because it is so simple and basic, yet so many people are not doing it.

My mom laughed and said, "Sounds like you want to say, Just try to pay the hell attention when you drive!" We both laughed and she said that could be my new slogan.

Have You Liked Us On Facebook?

I hate to grovel but I'm told Facebook is a great way to spread the word about your organization. If you have an interested in lowering the amount of people dying in car accidents please help us spread the word of Fix The Toaster by liking us on Facebook.

Thank you.

Contributor Shannon Noel Webb Journals About Her Pledge to Not Text & Drive

This is a post by Fix The Toaster contributor Shannon Noel Webb on her struggle to stay away from her phone while driving. I love her honesty  here.

Day # 1

Yesterday was my first full day of attempting to NOT text or check e-mails while driving.  This must be what a heroin addict feels like on their first day of recovery.  Not to make light of such a terrible addiction but holy cow I thought I would lose my mind, I even started to itch all over.  Maybe that’s because I used a new detergent but still it was painful and I had nothing to distract me from the pain except, oh, I don’t know – FOCUSING ON DRIVING!  I tried.  I did. 

See I signed a contract.

If I am anything, I am good to my word. 

Or at least I thought I was. 

I fell off the wagon at the first stop light.  I was through two e-mails before I even realized what I was doing.  What has become of me?  How did this happen? 

This constant need for constant communication is insane.  This is my only quiet time during the day.  Why am I using it to talk, tweet, text and e-mail?  I should be listening to some Enya and turning my seat warmers on.  (That just occurred to me and I will try it tomorrow) but yesterday I had to sit on my hands.  Seriously, is anything THAT important that it cannot wait? 

Maybe.  I do have two small children, a father having surgery today and a good friend going in for a biopsy.  BUT…why would I risk adding injury to injury by texting, typing or doing anything to distract me from the task at hand: driving my car safely to my destination? 

Today is Day #2 and I think I will do better.  I will keep you posted – WHEN I AM SAFELY AT MY DESK!

Why Car Commercials are Lame & Irresponsible

I have an issue with car commercials. They generally all look the same. Some sleek looking, shiny car is being driven very fast on a road where no one else is driving. They sometimes encounter hazardous things such as slick pavement, but not to worry their super safe tires or brakes will save you. Take this ad from Cadillac for example.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gthAHKUE68&seo=goo_|_2012+Cadillac+Retention+You+Tube_|_Cadillac+PV+YouTube+-+Cadillac_|_Cadillac+Make+-+HV_|_cadillac]

With the windows rolled up you can't hear a thing outside of what is going on in your car. you can shut the annoying world out and just drive as fast as you want to. Because the rest of the world is filled with assholes but not you. You deserve to shut it all out and just drive really fast.

In this commercial from Mercedes everyone is seen smiling while they keep passing each other. Zipping along through  neighborhood and city streets. Ah, so cute.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/user/mbusa/featured?v=0ZPFcibSEpw]

Oh and don't worry because in tiny letters at the bottom of your screen we tell you that this was done on a "Closed course." Check out this commercial for Jaguar.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvvQzXTwy1Q]

Have you ever been on a closed course, outside of bumper cars?

It's ridiculous.

The car companies owe it to the public to start making more meaningful commercials and responsible commercials.

There is so much focus on "how safe a car can be" how much "safe we've made it." People are buying into this.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv7PbFrp6nM]

It's time they bought into a new train of thought.

What We Worry About vs. What We Should Worry About

I hear briefly today that there is a meningitis outbreak in the states.

I just read about it too as it was on the front page of Yahoo. The article says 15 people have died.

Today, I wonder? Because about 115 people will die today, give or take in their cars. 3,287 people die a day around the whole world in their cars.

It is sad that some people will die from this and of course awful. My point is not to diminish meningitis but rather point a question towards us.

Are we just a bunch of fatalists when it comes to us and our relationship to cars?

Worried more with what we can not control rather then what we can?

Most car accidents can be prevented yet we do not have daily headlines scaring the beegeesus out of the American public about it.

Driving Safer Advocacy Groups

Over the last 5 years I have, from time to time, looked for safe driving advocacies. Of course I knew about MADD, but what I was looking for didn't seem to be out there. I was just looking for an organization that promoted safer driving in all forms. Now that I'm behind Fix The Toaster and I have all 9 of my likers on Facebook ;) I am finding more groups that are advocacies for distracted driving.

Groups that have been launched out of senseless tragedy like Kate's Krew. Kate was a toddler killed by a distracted driver. Her father has launched the group.

There is Distraction.gov dedicated to making our roads safer by ending distracted driving. They have a beautiful site and highlight people who have died due to distracted driving. Erik Okerblom was a beautiful soul who was struck by a speeding teenager while bike riding at the age of 19. There is also a foundation in his name.

And of course our new contributor Scott Marshall up in Canada, a father driven by his passion for making the roads safer.

So why Fix The Toaster? Well, I'm trying to act as an advocate for driving safer, looking at changing the speed limits, looking at our infrastructure, trying to switch people's brains from accepting these ridiculous statistics to questioning why do we think that's OK. I am not a Harvard grad. My husband is, he will be weighing in on some amazing statistics I've had him come up with on nights I am angrily pacing saying it's ridiculous. I was doing keg stands at the University of Iowa. But I am a mom. I'm passionate about the subject. And I have always driven in the slow lane.

And by the way, I will post on the way I drive in the near future because I know that driving too slow is dangerous as well.

Anyways, I'm hearing of people out there who want change. We just need the masses to hear us. And we need someone to help us implement the change.

Have a safe commute tomorrow. Drive with care for yourself and the people around you. Even if your first thought is "asshole" let's try to slow down and be aware.

Honoring Conor Lynch: LA Run Tomorrow

Twitter and social networking really can be an amazing thing. I just happened upon an event that will take place tomorrow in honor of a young boy named Conor Lynch. Here is  a bit about Conor via the the website.

On October 19, 2010, while training with his high school cross country team, Conor Lynch was killed by a distracted, unlicensed, hit-and-run driver. He was 16 years old. The woman who killed him was 18 years old. Coincidentally, this tragedy occurred during National Teen Safe Driving Week.

Born August 19, 1994 in Los Angeles, Conor was the eldest son of Mark Lynch, partner of Cypress LLP in Los Angeles and Jeri Dye Lynch, CEO and President of Pinecrest Schools, a chain of private schools in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Conor attended Pinecrest Schools Van Nuys from 18 months to 8th grade, and was a junior at Notre Dame High School, Sherman Oaks at the time of his passing. He is remembered by teachers and classmates as an excellent student, team player and friend. In summers past he had been a camp counselor, lifeguard and swim instructor for Pinecrest Schools where the younger children fondly remember him as “Coach Conor”. He also worked at the Sherman Oaks Little League snack bar, which has been renamed in his honor. He enjoyed working with children who looked up to him as a role model and “big brother.”

You can read more about him on the Conor Lynch site.

The Conor Lynch Foundation was formed and here is its mission statement:  The Conor Lynch Foundation has been established to support new and existing programs that raise awareness and promote the safety of runners, pedestrians, cyclists and young drivers. Your contribution, and events such as safety fairs and the annual 5K Run/Walk “In Honor Of Conor” directly benefit this foundation, and work to ensure that no family suffers a loss like this again.

Here is the amazing, moving, PSA the Conor Lynch Foundation made. Show it to your kids. Or your friends, really we live in such a distracted world.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aghHS1lC4rw]

Well if you are swallowing back a lump in your throat like me this morning reading this and live close enough head on down to a run tomorrow in honor of Conor and this foundation. There will be a 5K run/walk in Sherman Oaks starting at 8:30. You can register here.

Our New Contributor: Shannon Noel Webb

Fix The Toaster is very excited to now have LA based mom, Shannon Noel Webb, contributing to our site. Shannon is naturally funny but she's serious about the impact of car safety. Well the people behind the cars, the whole sha-bang. Here is her first post.

Here is a list of the things I did this morning while driving in my car to work.  I cannot even believe it.  After talking last night and being uber aware I was still doing these things!  Habits run deep.  I like Fix The Toaster.  It is time to break our habits.  Jesus - look at this list!  I'm embarrassed, horrified and feeling fucking luck all in one!  I'm a good driver, a good mom, more responsible and ocd than I like to admit, I know people who have lost loved ones in car accidents, I bit my own tongue off in a car accident when I was 16,  I have been in a car accident where the car was flipped and totaled, and yet I STILL did the following WHILE driving myself to work this morning:

1. Read the liner notes on a 1987 Tom Waits cassette tape
2. Cleaned my cell phone headphones with a blanket that I dug out from under the seat and then sprayed with hand sanitizer
3. Loved on my dog who had found his way from the back of the mini van to the front seat
4. Fixed my twisted seat belt that was stuck in the contraption that is meant to make it tight should I be distracted and wreck
5. Searched for, found and turned on the seat warmer
6. Dug through my work bag for my cell phone charger and then searched for the outlet in 5 different compartments
7. Reached behind me to the back seat window and detached the built in sun shade so that my dog could stick his head out of the open window
8. Typed a note into my iPhone calendar and then set the alarm to remind me of this note later
9. Googled, on my iPhone, the address of my dog's groomer, google mapped it and then programmed it to guide me there from my current location
10. Ate and apple
11. Fought with the sports bottled top of my Sigg
12. Changed the radio station at least 3 times
13. Searched for and found the button on the radio that adjusts the bass.  Adjusted the bass.  Then the fade. Then the treble.
14. De tangled my new, gorgeous and very long necklace from my seatbelt
15. Dug through my wallet to find my hidden nail file/cleaner and then cleaned out my thumb nail
16. Checked to make sure that neither of my kids was hiding in the back of the car. They were not.  THANK GOD!

My only excuse is that I am not used to driving my min-van to work so it was somewhat new for me.  This would never suffice if, God forbid, I had hurt someone this morning.  And my children would certainly not have accepted this excuse if I had hurt myself, their Mommy.