I'm pleased to present the first online edition of Perspective, PEMCO's customer newsletter. This is the spring 2005 issue. Thank you for requesting it. I believe you'll find this e-mail version useful and convenient. Feel free to share Perspective with your friends, and watch for the fall issue coming out in September. As always, I welcome your feedback on Perspective . Simply send your comments to perspective@pemco.com.

Jon Osterberg
Perspective editor

Drive extra carefully during prom and graduation time

You know to keep a sharp eye out for impaired drivers on New Year's Eve, Saint Patrick's Day, and even Cinco de Mayo. But did you know the roads get dangerous on prom and graduation nights as well?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration calls April, May, and June the danger season for teens. More than one-third of the year's alcohol-related teen traffic fatalities occur around prom and graduation time. Not only are teens more likely to imbibe then, but they're driving in challenging circumstances. Nerves and excitement, running late to pick up a date, showing off for friends in the car, lack of sleep, or even wearing stiff-soled dress shoes or binding garb can tip the scales against inexperienced drivers.

PEMCO urges you to take extra caution when traveling on prom or graduation night in your community. Also, feel free to pass along these tips to your young relatives and their parents:

Leave the car at home.· Prom is all about glamour – and what could be more glamorous than arriving and departing in a limousine? At about $75 an hour, teens can easily split the cost with other couples. Or, parents can literally don a chauffeur's cap themselves. (Hint: Skip the minivan and rent a classy convertible or luxury car, instead!)

Limit passengers if teens must drive themselves – no more than one other couple, and be back by midnight. Teen crashes skyrocket on prom nights between midnight and 6 a.m. Important reminder : For the first six months the driver is licensed, Washington’s graduated licensing law prohibits 16- and 17-year-olds from 1) driving between 1 a.m. – 5 a.m., and 2) having passengers under age 20, except for immediate family.

Give your teen an escape plan. Even responsible kids can mess up. Make sure your teen understands that – no matter what – he or she can call you for a ride home. Reserve questions for a time when you’re both clear-headed. If your child inadvertently climbs in a car with a drunk driver, he or she can use this trick to get out: At a safe place, tell the driver to pull over because “I’m going to be sick.” Once outside, your child can urge the driver to go on without him or her and call home for a ride.

Work with your school, PTA, and local merchants to host a “Prom ’til Dawn” celebration. After the last dance, give kids an alternative to unchaperoned, alcohol-fueled parties by offering free food and entertainment like games, contests, karaoke, magicians, and caricaturists. Hold a grand-prize drawing for revelers who stay all night.

By staying alert to potential hazards and urging teens to make smart choices, you can help ensure that prom night turns out exactly as planned – a safe evening for everyone, filled with good memories.