NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Over the past five years, more than 5,000 people have been killed in crashes involving teen drivers during the “100 Deadliest Days,” the period starting at Memorial Day when teen crash deaths historically climb.

As the summer driving season begins, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is releasing a followup study confirming that nearly 60 percent of teen crashes involve distractions behind the wheel.

The research also finds a disturbing trend showing that texting and social media use are on the rise amongst teen drivers.

Crashes for teen drivers increase significantly during the summer months because teens drive more during this time of year. Over the past five years during the “100 Deadliest Days:”

· An average of 1,022 people died each year in crashes involving teen drivers.

· The average number of deaths from crashes involving teen drivers ages 16-19 increased by 16 percent per day compared to other days of the year.

This year’s new followup report from the AAA Foundation is part of the most comprehensive eight-year research project ever conducted into crash videos of teen drivers.

In collaboration with researchers at the University of Iowa, the AAA Foundation analyzed the moments leading up to a crash in more than 2,200 videos captured from in-car dash cameras.

The latest report compared new crash videos with those captured from 2007 -2012 and found consistent trends in the top three distractions for teens when behind the wheel in the moments leading up to a crash:

· Talking or attending to other passengers in the vehicle: 15 percent of crashes.

· Talking, texting or operating a cell phone: 12 percent of crashes.

· Attending to or looking at something inside the vehicle: 11 percent of crashes.

“Every day during the summer driving season, an average of 10 people die as a result of injuries from a crash involving a teen driver,” said Cynthia Harris, AAA Northern California spokesperson. “This new research shows that distraction continues to be one of the leading causes of crashes for teen drivers. By better understanding how teens are distracted on the road, we can better prevent deaths throughout the 100 Deadliest Days and the rest of the year.”

Researchers also found that how teens use their cell phone when behind the wheel changed significantly over the course of the study. In the moments leading up to a crash, teens were more likely to be texting or looking down at the phone than talking on it.

This supports findings by Pew Research Center, which shows text messaging has become a key component in day-to-day interactions amongst teenagers. Fifty-five percent of teens spend time every day texting, sending an estimated 80 text messages per day.

“It’s no secret that teens are extremely connected to their cell phones,” said Harris. “Many teens are texting or using social media behind the wheel more often than in the past, which is making an unsafe situation even worse.”

Research by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that texting creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted.

A recent AAA Foundation survey shows that nearly 50 percent of teen drivers admitted they had read a text message or email while driving in the past 30 days. NHTSA’s National Occupant Protection Use Survey also shows that from 2007 to 2014, the percentage of young drivers seen visibly manipulating a handheld device quadrupled.

“Nearly two-thirds of people injured or killed in crashes involving a teen driver are people other than the teen themselves,” said Harris. “This shows that teen drivers can be a risk to everyone on the road and it is important to regulate their actions when behind the wheel.”

Keeping cell phones out of the hands of teen drivers is a top priority for AAA. The association’s advocacy efforts are helping to protect teens by working to pass graduated driver licensing laws and teen wireless bans in states across the country.

In preparation for the “100 Deadliest Days,” AAA encourages parents to educate their teen about the dangers of distracted driving and monitor their actions behind the wheel. Parents should:

· Have conversations early and often about the dangers of distraction.

· Make a parent-teen driving agreement that sets family rules against distracted driving.

· Teach by example and minimize distractions when driving.

The Web site www.TeenDriving.AAA.com has a variety of tools to help prepare parents and teens for the dangerous summer driving season. The online AAA StartSmart program also offers great resources for parents on how to manage their teen’s overall driving privileges.

Established by AAA in 1947, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, publicly-supported charitable research and educational organization.

Dedicated to saving lives and reducing injuries on our roads, the foundation’s mission is to prevent crashes and save lives through research and education about traffic safety. Visit www.AAAFoundation.org for more information.

LUCERNE, Calif. – In an effort to make a university education more affordable for local students, Marymount California University has announced a tuition reduction for its bachelor’s programs at its Lakeside Campus.

The campus first began offering classes in the fall of 2014, and in early celebrated its first graduating class, conferring 13 bachelor's degrees, as Lake County News has reported.

The reduced tuition is available to students who reside not just in Lake County but also in the neighboring counties of Colusa, Glenn, Mendocino, Napa, Sonoma and Yolo, college officials said.

The new tuition, comparable to the tuition at California State Universities, will make affordable the two years of upper-division coursework that many students need to complete a bachelor’s degree.

With the reduction in tuition, students can expect to pay approximately $9,900 a year. This tuition covers enrollment of up to 18 units in both the fall and spring semester.

University administrators will work individually with students to obtain state and federal aid sources. For some qualified applicants, tuition could be covered by those grants.

New Marymount President Lucas Lamadrid, PhD announced the new lower-priced tuition to extend the university’s “hand in friendship,” with the residents living in the counties surrounding the Lucerne campus.

“This change in tuition creates access to a bachelor’s degree that formerly was only available by leaving the county of Lake,” said President Lamadrid. “Students are now able to work, raise a family and attain their bachelor’s degree within their own community.”

Marymount is the only university in the county of Lake providing both bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

The university offers bachelor’s degrees in business, liberal arts and psychology at the Lakeside Campus and graduate degree programs in community psychology, leadership and global development, and a master's of business administration that combine online course work with faculty-mentored research projects and directed  study. 

Interested students may make an appointment to meet with an enrollment counselor by calling 888-991-5253 or visiting www.MarymountCalifornia.edu/Lakeside .

Information and tours of the campus are being offered at the campus’ summer open house events on June 15, 22, 29; July 13, 20, 27; and Aug. 3, 9.

The university is located at 3700 Country Club Drive, Lucerne, in the original resort facilities formerly known as “the Castle.”

NORTH COAST, Calif. – A Mendocino County woman and her boyfriend could face criminal charges after they attempted to sell a fawn on Craigslist.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife Lt. Chris Stoots said he couldn't release the names of the two individuals because they were not arrested in the case and charges have not yet been filed by the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office.

However, Mendocino County Sheriff's booking logs showed that Lacy Jean David, 28, of Ukiah was arrested by Fish and Wildlife wardens at around 11 a.m. Tuesday, with her bail set at $10,000.

Stoots said she was booked for a no-cite warrant unrelated to the case involving the fawn and was in possession of what authorities believe were two methamphetamine pipes. Her boyfriend was released.

Stoots said a picture of a fawn was posted for sale on Tuesday morning on the Mendocino County Craigslist.

The little creature appeared to be wrapped in a blanket, with the asking price set at $300, based on the ad.

Stoots said wardens saw the posting and replied, and made arrangements to meet in Ukiah and buy the fawn. 

While they were waiting, from a hidden location wardens witnessed a vehicle pull into the location and got a call from the subjects with the fawn to let them know they were there, Stoots said.

When the couple arrived, the fawn was in the vehicle, Stoots said.

He said the couple told wardens they picked up the fawn at around 2 a.m. Tuesday after they found it standing in the middle of Old River Road near Hopland.

According to Stoots, David said she “did not really know what to do with it [after she picked it up] so she decided to try and sell it. She continually stated that she did not know it was illegal to sell wild animals. She said that she was only trying to do what was right for the fawn.”

Stoots said the fawn appeared to be in good health and was taken to a licensed wildlife rehabilitation facility in Lakeport.

While wardens do see sales of mounts/taxidermy, or restricted non-native species such as ferrets, Stoots added that it's uncommon to see the sale of live native wildlife.

“It is common for people to pick up fawns under the mistaken belief that they need human interdiction from abandonment, when in reality mom is usually nearby, so they are actually inadvertently abducting the little animal,” he said.

He added, “This is rather unique, to pick the animal up and list it for sale within hours.”

Stoots said a formal complaint is being sought with the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office for both David and her boyfriend.

“Wardens will be seeking charges for unlawful possession of the fawn and attempted sale of wildlife,” which are misdemeanors, Stoots said.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A planned remodel of Clearlake's Walmart store is under way.

The company said that the remodel of the store, which first opened in 1994, began on Sunday, and is anticipated to be completed by late August.

The store's remodel will include improvements to associate-only areas such as the associate break room as well as public areas like the store restrooms and sales areas.

The company also plans to add new fixtures to the interior and exterior of the store will receive a new coat of paint.

“The primary purpose of our store remodel program is to invest in maintaining our capital assets to better serve our customers,” said Walmart spokeswoman Delia Garcia. “In addition to necessary maintenance work, the remodel process gives us an opportunity to update the store’s branding and refresh the customer experience by updating fixtures and sales displays.”

Approximately 70 temporary associates will be hired to assist with the remodel work, the company said.

“We will remain focused on serving our customers during the remodel process,” said Clearlake Walmart store manager Travis Peck. “Our intention is to always give our customers the best service possible.”

The Clearlake store has undergone previous remodels. Walmart reported that its stores are generally remodeled on a five- to seven-year schedule.

Separately, Walmart reported that it is continuing to pursue a planned expansion of the Clearlake store.

Plans are to increase the size of the store's footprint – which now measures just under 110,000 square feet – by another 41,000 square feet, the company said.

“Expanding the store means we’ll be able to better meet our customers’ needs by offering a full line of groceries, including fresh produce, meat and dairy selections, and other pantry staples,” said Peck.

He said that, in the 22 years the store has been serving the community, “Consumer shopping habits have changed and it’s time for us to change also.”

Peck said expanding the store will be an opportunity to help customers save time and money “by providing the true one-stop shopping experience they are looking for.”

The city of Clearlake has created a tentative schedule for the store expansion's environmental impact report, or EIR. Clearlake City Manager Greg Folsom said that schedule recently was updated.

The schedule calls for a public review period for the draft EIR to take place from July 21 to Sept. 8.

The release of the final EIR will be dependent upon the amount and technical nature of the comments received on the draft document, according to the city's schedule, which has the public review period of the final EIR tentatively set to take place between Nov. 9 and 18.

The Clearlake Planning Commission will hold a November hearing on the expansion, with a city council hearing only to be required if the project is appealed, based on the schedule.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.