An experienced attorney whose clients include those injured in auto accidents, Alpizar has seen firsthand the painful results reckless driving practices can yield.

“Some people don’t realize how much of an impact an auto accident can have on a person’s life. From injuries to legal issues, the result of one careless moment on the road can be devastating,” said Alpizar, 29, who practices law with his father, John, at the Alpizar Law Firm in Palm Bay.

“In this day and age, there are so many distractions that can make drivers lose their concentration and focus, especially teen drivers,” he said.

“Society is still dealing with issues like drinking and driving, and kids not wearing seatbelts; but there’s also talking on the cell phone, text messaging, and paying attention to friends in the car instead of the other cars around you,” he added.

That’s why he is in the process of resurrecting the Drive Alive program, which promotes safe driving among teens by taking the message to area high schools.

The public service program was designed and sponsored by Alpizar Law as a supplemental source for drivers education teachers to provide useful information on driving and the importance of following traffic rules and laws.

It was first introduced at Melbourne and Palm Bay high schools in 1996, then picked up at Eau Gallie, Cocoa Beach and Satellite high schools.

Although its momentum slowed in recent years, David Alpizar is working to partner with area high schools again so that the program reaches teens this fall, especially those 15- and 16-year-olds primed to get behind the wheel.

“The idea is to reach as many teenagers as we can by partnering with the schools to teach them safe driving habits and techniques like defensive driving,” Alpizar explained.

“There are a lot of accidents that involve young drivers, just from the mere fact that they are inexperienced,” he added.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the risk of an auto accident among drivers ages 16-19 is four times the risk among older drivers. In addition, the crash rate per mile driven is almost three times as high among 16 year-olds as among 18 to 19 year olds.

Studies also show that teen drivers account for 18 percent, or about 2 million, of all the drivers involved in police reported crashes.

The statistics are enough to keep parents like Baglivio worried every time their children get behind the wheel.

Although an NHTSA report released in May indicated that the overall number of teen auto accidents had declined by 6 percent, motor vehicle crashes are still the leading cause of death for teens in the U.S.

Nearly 3,500 teenage drivers died in car crashes in 2006 while another 272,000 were injured.

Additionally, 65 percent of teen passenger deaths occur when another teenager is driving.

John Alpizar said the Drive Alive program really is for anybody interested in seeing safe driving eventually counteract those statistics.

“It is vital for every driver on the road, including young drivers, to understand that there are serious consequences to not exercising good judgment on the road,” he said.

David Alpizar added that the program is not intended to scare teens but provide them with a good education on what happens when they choose to drive.

“If the program can help just one more teen become better aware when they are in the driver’s seat, then we’ve already increased the number of safe drivers on the road. Drive Alive can definitely make an impact,” he added.

Call Alpizar Law at (321) 676-2511 for more information on the Drive Alive program.

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