Safe-driver students win new cars

Lake Zurich High School junior Scott Walding ran off the field Saturday after halftime of the Chicago Slaughter football game, only to find fans waiting to give him high-fives.

He was treated like a celebrity, with cameras following and dignitaries waiting to meet him. But he wasn't an athlete. Instead, Walding and five other teens walked away from the game as winners of new cars.

"I wanted this real bad," Walding said, standing on the field at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates. "This will help my family so much."

He was the new owner of a 2008 Pontiac G5 donated by Marquardt of Barrington, during the culmination of Operation Click. The safe driving program drew 21 high schools to participate in Cook, Lake and portions of Kane and McHenry counties.

Started in 1998 by Crystal Lake Police officer Sean McGrath, Operation Click asks students to sign a contract at the beginning of the school year that they will wear their seat belts, will not drink and drive, will not ride in a car with a driver who has consumed alcohol, and will not be convicted of any traffic related violation.

The more students adhere to their contracts, the better their chances of having a shot at winning a car. Schools with more than 95 percent compliance get to send two students to the prize drawing, while 90 percent or better can send one.

Traffic units with local police departments work with school officials to conduct random checks four times during the school year, to count the number of cars where teens are wearing their seat belts.

"We only count vehicles that are occupied by students," said Hoffman Estates Police Sgt. Carl Baumert. "If an adult is in the car, we know they're more likely to wear a seat belt."

At Conant High School, more than 500 students signed a contract this year, police reported that 92 percent of students were compliant.

However, in their Operation Click chapter, Elk Grove High School reported 95 percent of students wore their seat belt, and consequently the school earned the chance to send two students - chosen randomly from the contracts - to the prize drawing.

One of them, senior Klaudia Dziedzic of Elk Grove, won a 2008 Pontiac G6, also donated by Marquardt of Barrington.

"I'm so happy," Dziedzic said. "Now I'll have my own car to drive to school and to work. I won't have to drive my mom's."

Other winners included: Michael Cypher of Libertyville High School, Becky Eben of Marian Central Catholic High School in Woodstock, Danielle Gaskell of McHenry High School, and Steven Krause of Cary Grove High School.

The teens won their cars in dramatic fashion. The six donated cars were parked on the field, and students from each chapter picked random keys out of a bucket, to see which one would start the car.

Police lights strapped to the top of each vehicle lit up when the ignition started, alerting the more than 6,000 fans in attendance which teen won.

McGrath reports that since the program's inception, seat belt usage by teen drivers in Crystal Lake has risen to 95 percent, up from 65 percent. And that pleased Secretary of State Jesse White, who was on hand to congratulate the young drivers.

"I'm impressed that you have city, school and law enforcement officials all committed to helping young people get from point A to Point B, in the safest possible manner," White said.

Officials with Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington helped McGrath launch the program and they continue to administer it.

"I can tell you firsthand, this investment is worth it," said Dr. Robert Witkowski, surgeon and medical director of Good Shepherd's trauma center program. "Our kids die unnecessarily on area roads every year. Operation Click saves lives."