For years, the backs of many commercial trucks have displayed bumper stickers that say, “How's my driving? Call 1-800 ...” Now, they're available for teen drivers, too.

        Rick Osmann of Roanoke, Va., runs a private company called Driver's Edge, which offers parents bumper stickers for their teens' cars that read: “We Care about this Driver. Call 877-4MYEDGE to report safety compliments and concerns.”

        The idea: “Stickered” teens drive more carefully, because other motorists are watching and teens don't want to incur the wrath of their parents.

SPECIAL REPORT

Jennifer Weckner is the 16th teenager killed on Tristate roads this year. One of every five fatal area crashes has involved a driver under 21. Our special report last Sunday examines what's happening. Go to Special Report

        Calls are compiled and reports are forwarded to the teen's parents. About a fifth of all calls are positive, Mr. Osmann says.

        The business has expanded since 1998 to 10 states, including Ohio. It hasn't yet made it to Kentucky or Indiana, but Mr. Osmann hopes to expand there.

        “I'd like to see all teens in the first year of driving in this program,” says Amy Pendleton of Ferrum, Va., whose daughter, Danielle, 16, has been in the program since spring. She's a high- school sophomore.

        So far no calls — “Knock on wood,” says Mrs. Pendleton, who is a member of the Safe Kids Coalition in Virginia.

        “Kids are savvy,” Mr. Osmann says. “They understand that positive comments might get them more driving privileges.”

        A kit and the call-relay service costs $89 a year. It includes a bumper sticker and two stickers for the car's interior, as reminders to teen drivers. Lower rates are available for groups, such as churches and youth organizations.

        Mr. Osmann's business may not be unique, but insurance companies are starting to take note.

        Mr. Osmann counseled trauma stress victims for 20 years before starting his business, and has accompanied parents to the morgue to identify their teens killed in crashes. In 1998, he was returning from a crash that killed three teens when he got stuck in traffic behind a truck carrying the sticker.

        “I thought, this really shows promise,” Mr. Osmann says. “If we could do the same with teens, this would be the holy grail.”

        For more information, call Driver's Edge at 540-343-5200.

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