Tips for Social Media Marketing

While social media have been around for a few years, they're still the new frontier in marketing. Because the medium is so new, keeping up with social media marketing tactics isn't easy. Check out these helpful tips for a successful social media presence:

• Use images to amplify your social media posts. Let's face it: people like pretty pictures. If you're not getting the amount of engagement that you're looking for out of your social media audience, you can often attract more attention by posting pictures rather than just text updates. Look into free stock photography, or snap some pics of your own.
• Choose the right image. A picture is worth a thousand words, and images can help to grab attention and clarify a message. Unfortunately, images are open to interpretation. Before you select an image for a social media update, make sure it communicates what you want it to. Text overlays can be added quickly and easily with online image editing tools such as PicMonkey or Pixlr. A few words can make the difference between your content being overlooked and attracting your target audience.
• Go deep, not broad, with social media. When it comes to social media, businesses should go deep, not broad. It's better to become a master of one or two channels of communication than to waste your efforts on many. Presently, the two most popular platforms are Facebook and Twitter. But if photos or videos are your thing, you might consider options such as Instagram or YouTube. There's no harm in having more than one social media outlet, of course. But make sure whatever you're using is appropriate to your wants and needs.
• Focus on the platforms your customers use. While you need to play to your strengths, consider also where your clients are. Find out where your customers are hanging out online, choose a platform or two that you enjoy and that align with your interests, and then focus deeply on those platforms. Setting up Google Alerts for your business name, industry, and/or topics of interest can give you insight into where your customers are interacting online.
• Build online influence. Influence is the secret ingredient for social media success. By focusing on becoming a person of influence in your industry, you'll build trust and loyalty; people will know that you're sincere and that you truly care about helping them. This is a long-term investment that involves constant enthusiasm and professionalism. But keep up the hard work—it's worth it in the long run.

The use of social media in marketing can cause anxiety because of it's newness. But a comforting thought is that no one really knows yet what's certain to work. Have fun and try some experiments and see what works for you. You might just pick up some customers along the way!

Marketing Initiatives: Trackers and Coupons

Completion Trackers: Upgrading the Upgrade

For some time now, you have been able to offer to your students the "Completion Tracker" service upgrade from Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc. (TSC). This beneficial service for students provides traffic violator school (TVS) course graduates with a notification that the court with jurisdiction over their case has viewed their TVS completion report via the Department of Motor Vehicles' computer system. While this sort of confirmation is valuable, processing times at the courts can, unfortunately, delay peace of mind by days or even weeks after the student's completion.

At the request of our students, we have developed a supplemental product that enhances our existing Completion Tracker program. The new Proof of DMV Submission service delivers to students an email that includes the date, time, and sequence number of their completion that was posted successfully to the DMV's Traffic Violator Course Completion (TVCC) database. For the low price of $8.95, students will receive their Proof of DMV Submission notification immediately upon the successful submission of their completion; this service has been rolled into the Completion Tracker product, and students will receive a second email when the report of their completion is viewed by their court.

The addition of the Proof of Submission service requires no work or effort on your part; it will be implemented as part of your existing Completion Tracker offering. Best of all, it should cut down on the number of customer service calls you need to field from students who are concerned about whether or not their completion was reported. (Affiliates will get an additional $0.50 credit on their account statements for the new Proof of Submission.)

This is yet another example of TSC's constant striving to improve the product offerings that we license to our affiliates, and we hope that your students enjoy the advanced customer service experience that this functionality provides.

Coupons

Years of experience in the traffic school industry has taught TSC that repeat and referral business are primary sources of customers. We are, therefore, extending to affiliates a highly successful marketing program that we have been experimenting with at the corporate level.

A student's congratulatory e-mail (the e-mail that is generated automatically upon a student's successful completion of an Internet TVS course) now includes a coupon code that they may redeem the next time they attend traffic school, or that they can pass along to friends and family members who may need traffic school. This encourages graduates to return, or to refer others, to your school, rather than to go to the list of approved schools to randomly select a provider.

The coupon code is "SAVE3," and can be redeemed for $3 off the price of tuition for traffic school.

This coupon marketing initiative, like the Proof of Submission service, requires no action on your part. Both of these programs will be implemented starting December 1, 2013.

'Tis the Season…for Traffic School?

Traffic school attendance often drops near the end of the year as students get busy with the holidays. You can still get a quick sales boost, however, with these budget-friendly tips. Promote your school while meeting the needs of your customers this holiday season:

• Host an open house. If you operate a local office/classroom location, plan an open-house event to showcase your products and services. It gives you an opportunity for some face time with the locals, and you could throw in a special offer or coupon that customers can redeem for a limited time.
• Get involved in community and charitable events. Supporting charities or getting involved in community events is a great way to generate awareness for your business during the holidays. If you don't have the budget to donate money, think of other ways to get involved—such as offering volunteer services, equipment, or even space.
• Enlist others to help you. Consider partnering with complementary stores to cross-promote each other's businesses. Any automotive-related store or service makes a perfect fit for a traffic or driving school.
• Offer gift certificates. No one likes to pay for traffic school—especially after shelling out for their citation and other associated costs. Gift certificates, gift cards, or e-certificates are a great way to give your customers a convenient gift option. These items also help you to generate sales well into the new year, with recipients often spending more than the value of the certificate.

These low-cost tips can help you to keep business as booming as Santa's laugh during the holiday season!

New Affiliate Team Member!

The Affiliate Management Team at Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) would like to take a moment to welcome a new member to the crew. Due to the frequent policy and procedure changes within the Department of Motor Vehicles, we have brought a new person on-board to ensure that all affiliate concerns and inquiries are addressed. We welcome Tara Williams to our team!

If you are unable to reach Chris Kalili for any reason, please contact Tara via email or by calling 800 . 863 . 2590.

Get Ready for Winter!

As we drift further into autumn and approach the end of Daylight Saving Time, now is a good time to think about getting vehicles ready for winter. While this is obviously more important for students of our affiliates in northern climes, it never hurts to give vehicles a periodic once-over to make sure everything's operating correctly. Encourage your students to…

• check the battery. Performing a battery load test (or having a mechanic do it) will ensure that the battery turns over on cold mornings.
• monitor tires for tread wear. Tires should always have plenty of tread to ensure proper grip, but it's critical in wet and/or snowy weather. Having the proper tires—with plenty of tread—will help to ensure safety on bad winter roads. Further, vehicles that will be driven in mountainous areas should be equipped with snow tires, and tire chains should be carried in case they are necessary.
• remember that bad weather reduces visibility. Vehicle lighting systems should be kept clean and in good working order; visibility can be enhanced by activating the headlights even during daylight hours. Windows—especially the windshield—should be kept clean and clear of obstructions. Climate controls, including the defroster, should be in good working condition, and windshield wipers should be replaced every couple of years (more often, as needed, if there are cracks in the rubber or if the wipers leave streaks on the windshield).
• avoid sudden turns and hard braking. Abrupt maneuvers on slippery roads can cause a vehicle to skid or lose control. Drivers must accelerate, steer, and brake gently when traction is limited. Ultimately, motorists should slow down and increase following distance when road conditions are poor.
• check weather and traffic conditions before they leave. Drivers should always allow themselves plenty of time to get to their destination, but this is even more important when the weather is bad. Travelers should plan ahead and leave route and destination information with friends or relatives, so rescue personnel know where to look if they don't arrive. Drivers should also consider abandoning the trip if weather conditions are exceptionally poor.

With these simple tips and some common sense, drivers can make it through even the harshest of winters. Encourage your students to stay safe!

National Teen Driver Safety Week 2013

Next week (October 20 – 26, 2013) is National Teen Driver Safety Week. The idea is to get teens from all across America to team up to tackle the greatest danger they face—vehicle crashes.

This year's theme is "It Takes Two: Shared Expectations for Teens and Parents for Driving." Part of the program is advocacy for 65+ hours of supervised driving practice for new drivers. While supervised driving practice is important, it's not the end of the story. Studies suggest that teen drivers often underestimate their level of driving experience and conflate the mere acquisition of a driver license with driving competence. It is critical, then, that parents remain engaged and supportive of their child's new responsibility.

In light of next week's event, there couldn't be a better time to encourage your students (or a family member or friend) to pick up a copy of Traffic Safety Consultants' outstanding parent-teen driving guide, Teach Your Teen to Drive…and stay alive. This fantastic parent-teen guide provides life-saving tips and easy-to-follow, structured exercises to reduce the stress factors associated with the up to 60 hours of supervised driving practice that's required by all 50 states.

If your stock of books is running low, or to get started with this excellent product, contact our Director of Affiliate Operations, Gloria Verver, for great affiliate pricing (via email or by calling 800 . 252 . 9488). Of course, you can always order via Amazon.com as well.

So…what are you waiting for? Let's get together and save some lives!

Reminder: Quarterly Reports are Due to CA DMV

Just a reminder to our California affiliates that quarterly reports for the third quarter of 2013 are due to the Sacramento office of the California Department of Motor Vehicles by October 30.

If you have any questions about preparing and submitting your reports, please contact Chris via email or by calling 800 . 487 . 1699.

We Have a Winner!

…well, four, actually!

The Sizzlin' Summer Sales competition, which ran from the beginning of July through the end of August, asked you to increase the number of paid student registrations, and the percentage of students who upgraded to the Completion Tracker, relative to your numbers in those categories for the month of June. We also included some useful marketing tips to help you meet your new goals.

After two months of heated, head-to-head competition, we're back to announce our winners:

• Student Registrations
  • First Place - $150: Fast and Easy Traffic School
  • Second Place - $75: Newport Driving School
• Completion Trackers
  • First Place - $100: Fast and Easy Traffic School
  • Second Place - $50: Nice and Easy Traffic School

Congratulations to our prize winners! Chris will mail prize checks to the winners in the next few weeks.

But, of course, remember that everyone is a winner simply by increasing sales and growing your business. Good job, everyone, and good fortune to you all!

Marketing Tips: Small Changes Can Net Big Results

A few small changes to your existing marketing strategies can reap big results when it comes to attracting customers. Better still, many of these approaches involve free or low-cost techniques.

Consider employing these great tactics:

• Turn the back of your business card into a promotional item. The back of your business card is advertising real estate that you already own. Use that space to provide a list of your services, or a 10%-off coupon, to turn it into a powerful marketing tool. The information can be a conversation starter and conveys important facts about your business at a time when you already have someone's attention.
• Put a link to your social media account(s) in your email signature. You should always use an email signature with any business-related correspondence. It's professional, and it reinforces your brand every time you hit the "send" button. Including a link to your social media account(s) in the signature makes it easy for recipients to keep in touch with you—and the valuable information you provide—over time.
• Position yourself as an expert. Nothing builds your brand faster than free advice. Dole out a few juicy tips on your website or social media account(s). Once people know that you know, they'll seek you out. Soon, you'll have customers knocking at your door, offering to pay you to solve their problems.
• Test, measure, and test again. Don't sink your entire marketing budget into a single effort. If you try something new as a test, measure the results (and refine your plan) to maximize your returns.

You don't have to have a huge marketing budget to get your customers' attention. Just a few simple tweaks could net you a load of new business!

Marketing Tips: Stretch Your Marketing Budget

The ubiquity of soft drink and motor vehicle ads tells part of the story about why those companies are so successful. But, let's face it: Most small businesses don't have a lot of money to spend on marketing. That means you have to make every penny count!

Here are some simple tips to help you stretch your marketing budget—so you can draw in more customers without breaking the bank!

• First and foremost, if something is working, stick with it. Don't abandon older methods just because you're bored with them. If something you're doing still has legs, if it's still drawing in customers, milk it for all it's worth!
• Don't over-present yourself. You may be tempted to spend a load of money on four-color brochures or fancy embossing like Fortune 500 companies. Sure, it looks great, but it's far more effective to employ a well-designed piece that fits comfortably within your budget.
• Use modular pieces. Consider using groups of promotional literature that can be assembled (e.g., into a packet or folder) from individual pieces. That way, you can customize your presentation without having to create a specific piece for each application. Having a modular system also allows you to hand out individual pieces as needed, so you're not wasting an entire, expensive piece in a situation in which it's not required.
• Get maximum mileage out of existing content. Images, copy, and sometimes even layouts generated for one promotion can often be repurposed in other pieces to significantly reduced creative costs and effort. You don't have to reinvent the wheel for every project!
• Use outside creatives judiciously. If you can handle projects internally, you can save a lot of money. Of course, if you don't have a creative bone in your body, getting outside help can be crucial. But make sure that you hire talent whose portfolio—and fees—are appropriate for your needs. If you do use contractors, you can save money by taking advantage of discounts and avoiding late charges by paying invoices on time. You might also foster goodwill that can result in better service and reduced prices on future projects.

"You've got to spend money to make money," the old saying goes. But if you're smart about your marketing strategies, you don't have to spend a lot of money!

Americans Growing Indifferent to Dangerous Driving Behaviors

You've probably read some of the many pieces published recently noting the decline in the number of miles that Americans drive (here's one). While this development is probably a good thing in terms of safety statistics and our environmental health, you might think that it spells the end of traffic school. On the contrary, nothing could be further from the truth! Our primary mission has always been traffic safety education, and a new report from AAA makes it apparent that that's never been more necessary.

An recent analysis of survey data by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that Americans are now less likely to perceive a serious threat from dangerous driving behaviors than they were a few years ago. And while traffic crash fatalities had been on the decline in recent years, the decreased concern is accompanied by an estimated 5.3% increase in annual fatalities—totaling more than 34,000 in 2012.

Some of the dangerous behaviors over which survey respondents' concern has dwindled over the previous four years include:

• The number of people who believe driving after drinking is a serious threat declined from a near universal 90% in 2009 to 69% in 2012.
• The number of people who consider drowsy driving a very serious threat declined from 71% in 2009 to 46% in 2012.
• The number of people who believe that texting or emailing while driving is a very serious threat declined from 87% in 2009 to 81% in 2012. The number of people who admit to texting while driving increased from 21% to 26% during the same period.
• The number of people who consider red-light running to be completely unacceptable declined from 77% in 2009 to 70% in 2012. Over a third (38%) admitted to running a red light within the previous month.

It's clear that the traffic safety education industry still has quite a bit of teaching to do! Make sure you're discussing these extremely hazardous behaviors—and their potentially deadly consequences—with your students in class. And take every opportunity to advocate for safer driving behaviors. You might just save a life!

"Licensed" or "Approved"?

Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) is writing to remind you that the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) does not allow you to market your traffic violator school (TVS) as "DMV-Approved". Rather, TVSs are licensed by the DMV, and must be advertised that way on your website(s) and in all other marketing materials.

Please check your website(s) for this language. If you are currently advertising your TVS as "DMV-Approved," you must have this changed to "DMV-Licensed." Have your Web designer take care of these edits. Or, if you have obtained a website through TSC, please e-mail Chris Kalili to request an update to the site.

Note that if this situation is not verified and corrected, as needed, you will be marked as non-compliant on the next regulatory review of your website! Please take a moment to check your site and ensure that the appropriate edits are made.

Update: Sizzlin' Summer Sales Competition

A month ago, Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) wrote to announce its Sizzlin' Summer Sales Competition. The goal of the contest is simple: Increase your number of paid registrations and the percentage of students purchasing Completion Trackers during the competition period (vs. similar statistics from the previous month). The two affiliates with the greatest improvement in each of these two categories will win great cash prizes.

Progress Report

The top performers for the halfway point of the contest (July) are:

Registrations

1. A Driving Ed. Trainers: +144%
2. Newport Driving School: +32%

Completion Trackers

1. Prestige Driving and Traffic School: +210%
2. Nice and Easy Traffic School: +29%

It's Not Too Late!

In the original announcement, we shared some marketing tips that could help you to boost your numbers. And as you can see, those who have been picking up the phones have seen a significant increase in sign-ups and in sales of Completion Trackers.

If you could use some extra income these days—and let's face it, who couldn't?—follow our tips for success. And if you boost your performance enough, you could earn yourself a prize at the end of the contest to boot!

New York Name Change

Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) is providing official notification to our affiliates (delivery agencies) that we are, as the sponsoring agency of your New York State Department of Motor Vehicles-approved Accident Prevention Course and for the programs that we offer at the corporate level in New York, now operating under the name "www.LowCostAccidentPrevention.com."

From this point forward, "www.LowCostAccidentPrevention.com" will appear (along with "Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc.") as the sponsoring agency on all of your paperwork, including receipts, student workbooks, classroom postings, attendance credit slips, and advertising.

We have updated TSC's ASAP™ Web service that you use to manage your classes and generate classroom materials to reflect this change. Be sure that you use these new materials, and note your sponsoring agency as "www.LowCostAccidentPrevention.com," from now on.

If you have any questions about this notice, please contact Donna (via email or by calling 800 . 252 . 9951).

Sizzlin' Summer Sales Competition

Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) is excited to announce its first affiliate contest, affording you the opportunity to earn over $350 in prizes!

All established California affiliates will have the chance to participate in an eight-week competition that will award four valuable cash prizes for being one of the most improved affiliates.

The goal is simple: Increase your number of paid registrations and the percentage of students purchasing Completion Trackers during the competition period (vs. similar statistics from the previous month). The two affiliates with the greatest improvement in each of these two categories will win the prizes.

Marketing Tips

At TSC, we want to help you to boost your sales and realize your business goals. We, therefore, offer the following suggestions that have proven effective for our corporate-level traffic schools:

• Direct Phone Registrations: When students call for information, be sure to capture those registrations immediately by signing them up for a course while you have them on the phone. (You can do this even for Internet-based students, rather than letting them register themselves later—if they ever return to your site.) We have found that this simple tactic can lift registration rates by roughly 15%.
• Offer the Completion Tracker During Registration: Upsell the Completion Tracker while you have the student on the phone. We have found that doing so boosts sales of the Completion Tracker service by approximately 20%. 

Contest Details

• The competition will run for two months, from July 1 through August 31, 2013.
• Orders generated during the competition period will be compared against similar statistics from the period of June 1 through June 30, 2013.
• First- and second prizes will be awarded to the affiliates with…
• the largest percentage increase in paid registrations of traffic violator school (TVS) students.
• the largest percentage increase in the rate of TVS students who purchase a Completion Tracker with their tuition.
• The winners of the contest will be contacted by Chris Kalili in September 2013, and checks will be issued to them, by TSC, for the amount of the prizes.
• This contest is open to established California affiliates (those on the DMV's OLSIS list of approved TVS course providers as of April 1, 2013) of TSC.
• Participation in the contest is optional, however all eligible affiliates are automatically enrolled.

Best of luck, and have fun!

New Virginia Laws for 2013

The latest legislative session produced statutory revisions that provide for enhanced penalties for drivers who send or read text-based messages while operating a motor vehicle. Texting while driving is one of the most important safety issues currently facing regulators, traffic safety experts, and drivers themselves, and it's unsurprising to see revisions of this nature as awareness about the issue grows. Indeed, a recent study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that truckers who text message while driving are 23 times more likely to crash or to get into a near-wreck than undistracted drivers!

Virginia law already makes it illegal for anyone to operate a motor vehicle while using a handheld personal communications device to send or read a text message or e-mail. Exceptions are made for the operators of emergency vehicles, for the reporting of an emergency, if the vehicle is lawfully parked or stopped, and for navigation or digital dispatch systems.

Under the new regulations, texting is now a primary enforcement violation (rather than secondary), meaning that a driver may be stopped for this offense alone. And the penalties have been expanded:  A first offense is punishable by a fine of $125 (up from $20), and second or subsequent offenses are punishable by a fine of $250 (up from $50). Further, drivers who are convicted of reckless driving face a mandatory minimum $500 fine if they were texting at the time of the offense. These changes take effect July 1, 2013.

This information has already been updated in the curriculum materials for your Internet-based program, and no action is required on your part. Of course, enhanced penalties aside, we encourage you to stress to students that—for the sake of their safety and the safety of others with whom they share the road—they should never text or engage in other distracting activities while they are driving.

Welcome, California Affiliates!

We at Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., would like to take this opportunity to welcome our California affiliates to the TSC Affiliate News Weblog/Newsletter. We'll be posting periodically to keep you up-to-date on new products and developments at TSC headquarters, to offer helpful suggestions on managing and marketing your traffic school, and to inform you of industry related information that could affect you and your operations.

Because the blog is ultimately intended as a means to disseminate useful information to you, our affiliates, we're open to your input. Feel free to add a comment to any article you see here (comments are moderated).

Now Available: TLSAE Online and Driver's Permit Online

A few posts back, we promised that Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) was developing several exciting new products. We're back now to introduce our two newest offerings: the Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education (TLSAE) Course Online and the Driver's Permit Test Online!

Exciting New Products

TLSAE Course Online

Drivers who have never held a regular driver's license in any state, country, or jurisdiction, must complete a TLSAE course before applying for a temporary driving permit (restricted driver's license) in the state of Florida. As well, drivers under the age of 21 who receive a notice of suspension for driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.02 to 0.05 must complete a TLSAE course in order to reinstate their driver license on a hardship basis.

TSC has offered affiliates its classroom-based TLSAE curriculum for a number of years, and affiliates have been able to purchase an Internet TLSAE course through us as well. But this development will transfer TSC's high-quality classroom to curriculum to an Internet-based format. Now you'll be able to offer the same great TSC TLSAE course that you're accustomed to teaching in the classroom via the Internet!

Driver's Permit Test Online

Unlicensed drivers under the age of 18 who have completed an online TLSAE course now have the option of taking their Driver's Permit Test via the Internet. Our students love the ease and convenience of completing their driver's permit test online! The flexibility and convenience of this option allows them to skip the congestion, long lines, and waiting at their local DHSMV office. Instead, they're able to relax and pass the test from the comfort of their own home.

Great Package Options

We've also combined these products (along with our Practice Permit Test) into some helpful, money-saving packages. By offering these great package options, you can sell yourself as a convenient, one-stop source of authoritative information for young drivers!

How to Get These Programs

We're rolling out these new products to you just as fast as we can! Justin, our Web designer, will be contacting you shortly to discuss the transition to these new products.

The advantage to this change—aside from superior products for your students—is that you'll get your money right away! TSC subtracts the "seal" costs from each transaction, but all other money goes directly into your business account at the time of sale. You no longer have to wait for a check for payment from TSC for these products.

Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, and this year it couldn't come soon enough. A report recently published by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) hints at a spike in motorcycle deaths in 2012. Based on the preliminary data provided, GHSA projects that the number of motorcyclist traffic fatalities in the United States increased about 9 percent from 2011 to 2012. A variety of reasons for this upsurge have been suggested, but the fact remains that, in the words of GHSA's deputy executive director, Jonathan Adkins, "This is a bad situation that is getting worse."

Motorcyclists have the same rights and privileges as any other motor vehicle on the roadway. But make sure you stress to your traffic school students that they must safely "share the road" with motorcycles. Motorcycles are often overlooked by drivers. Motorcycles' smaller size makes them hard to see in the first place, and it makes it difficult to accurately judge their distance and speed. Quick acceleration and the need to frequently adjust lane position also make motorcycles challenging to track. But because most automobile-motorcycle crashes are caused by a motorist's failure to detect a motorcycle in traffic, it's easy to see why greater vigilance is vital.

Drivers are encouraged to:

• Check mirrors frequently, and always check blind spots before changing lanes.
• Watch for oncoming cyclists when making left turns.
• Expand following distances when behind a motorcycle. Motorcyclists may need to adjust their speed or location within their lane.
• Allow motorcyclists a full lane width. Do not share the lane.
• Avoid distracted driving. It's always dangerous, but motorcycles require even greater attention from motorists.

Traffic Safety Marketing, a communications resource sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, shares downloadable resources related to motorcycle safety. Let's get the word out!

Distracted Driving Awareness Month

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month and, therefore, a perfect time to reinforce for your students the extreme dangers of failing to pay attention to the driving task. Driver distractions have joined alcohol and speeding as leading factors in vehicle crashes. A recent study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found some form of driver distraction within three seconds prior to the event was a factor in nearly 80% of collisions and 65% of near-collisions. The real tragedy is that most distractions are self-inflicted, easily avoidable, and completely unnecessary.

FocusDriven is a sponsor of Distracted Driving Awareness Month 2013, and their website provides a wealth of informational resources and downloadable materials dealing with the hazards of the most common in-vehicle distraction today's drivers face: mobile phones.

Unsafe as they are, however, phoning and texting aren't the only distractions that tempt motorists. In-dash electronics, climate and infotainment controls, personal hygiene items/tasks, and food and drink all serve to attract drivers' attention.

As if that weren't bad enough, objects and activities outside of the vehicle can unduly divert drivers' attention from the road as well. Common outside-the-vehicle distractions include: collisions scenes, law enforcement vehicle stops, construction work, billboards/advertising, beautiful scenery, and searching for an address.

Remind your students to stay focused on the driving task at all times—in short, to keep their eyes and their attention on the road!

New California Laws for 2013

A new year brings new traffic laws to California. Several new laws took effect on Jan. 1, 2013. As a provider of traffic violator school (TVS) instruction, you should familiarize yourself with these changes so you can provide proper education and assistance to your students.

Internet Curriculum Update

As your curriculum provider, Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) has already updated the Internet-based curriculum, and your students are using it now. You need to do nothing further.

Booklet Curriculum Update

Those of you who are offering the home study booklet must ensure that you are providing students with updated curriculum materials. Download from the CA Course Provider Administration website the latest final exam forms and answer keys, available now, and begin using those immediately.

The copyright notice is at the
bottom of the Table of Contents page.

The next order of books that you receive from TSC will be the latest edition. You may continue to use "old" booklets from your inventory. However, if the bottom of the Table of Contents page of a book that you are sending to a student does not have a 2013 copyright (see example picture), you must include a "new laws insert" (available for download from the CA Course Provider Administration website) in the packet.

Make sure that you ship the latest home study booklets (or inserts) and testing materials, as you will be responsible for teaching/testing students on this new material!

New Year, Hot Product

We at Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., would like to remind you about our great new product, Teach Your Teen to Drive…and stay alive. This parent-teen driving guidebook covers the supervised driving requirements in all 50 states (for up to 60 hours of behind-the-wheel practice). It's the perfect teaching tool for parents, and helps to eliminate the stress and anxiety associated with training a new teen driver. And it makes a great gift idea for family members and friends who have teenagers. This is a highly recommended product—especially for all driver training schools and traffic schools that offer classes to first-time drivers.

We have sold hundred of copies of Teach Your Teen since the product was introduced in the middle of last year, and the book has been ranked as high as #2 for its category on Amazon.com (click here to preview the book on Amazon)!

We have pricing with quantities of 10 books for as little as $6 per book (plus a shipping charge of $5), and you can resell them to your students for $15 – $20. Simply add a link for this great product to your website and sell a library's worth. (Remember: By DMV regulation, California affiliates cannot sell any other product prior to presenting the TVS course on their websites.) It also makes a perfect complement to a driver education program; you could offer the book to parents after their child's second driving lesson.

If you're interested in offering Teach Your Teen to Drive…and stay alive to your students, or via a link on your website, please contact our Director of Affiliate Operations, Gloria Verver, (via email or by calling 800 . 252 . 9488)!