Barrington student wins new car for safe driving

Operation Click, chooses safest teen driver in Cook/Lake County Illinois

Operation Click and Marquardt of Barrington Buick GMC crowned the safest teen driver in Northern Illinois recently at the Chicago Marriott Northwest, 4800 Hoffman Blvd., Hoffman Estates.

Operation Click is a program all about what teens are doing right on Illinois roadways. Teens from Barrington, Fremd, Lake Zurich, Hoffman Estates, Conant and Elk Grove high schools have all participated in the Operation Click program for nearly a year. Each participating student had to sign a contract stating they would not TEXT and drive, DRINK and drive, would always wear their seat belt and practice safe driving for the entire school year.

The program included random seat belt checks at all of the participating schools by Operation Click officers, with an average 95 percent compliance. If you were caught without your seat belt, you were removed from the top prize of a brand new car, provided by Marquardt of Barrington Buick GMC. The program is a year-round effort by law enforcement to teach safe driving habits to teens. In addition to seat belt usage, another top priority of Operation Click is texting and driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) “16 percent of all drivers younger than 20 who were involved in fatal crashes, were reported to be texting while driving.”

“If we teach one teen to create good driving habits, we win” said Sean McGrath, Operation Click president. “We are proud of all the kids who participated this year. With 95 percent participation from six high schools, 2012 surpassed our expectations.” Operation Click was founded in 1998 with one school in Crystal Lake and has grown to where we are today.

Since 2006 Marquardt of Barrington Buick GMC has given over $100,000 worth of vehicles to Operation Click. “Because of the outstanding results this year,” said Dan Marquardt of Marquardt of Barrington Buick GMC, “we agreed to give away a brand new car to the teen with the best driving record and no disciplinary issues in school. I love the program because it is nonpunitive, it’s not often in today’s world that kids have a goal with positive outcomes … we are happy to be a part of the reward”

Marquardt of Barrington and Operation Click have teamed up to give away a car for the past six years, but this is the first year a new car was the top prize. The recipient of this year’s top prize is a junior at Barrington High School. Hollis Anderson won a 2012 Buick Verano, provided by Marquardt of Barrington Buick GMC.

“I can’t believe I won a new car, that’s crazy!” said Hollis. When asked what she liked about the car she stated “Everything! And the OnStar feature, makes me feel safer knowing it can give me directions. My parents love the fact that it has 10 air bags and hope I never have to use them.”

Hopefully, Operation Click has prepared her so she won’t have to.

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