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www.RegentStreeiofWest,Bloonifield.coin
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9egent dime/
of cliksi 9loomfi'eld
Phone: 248.683.1010
Assisted Living All Inclusive Package
Nurses on duty 24 hours a day
Dementia care
Gourmet dining
Therapeutic recreation
Family support
Respite care
Hospice
First Class Accommodations—With all the amenities expected!
Carolann Goode
and Franci
Silver with their
invention
Carolann
Goode
and Franci
Silver
Orchard Lake Rd. South of Lone Pine Rd., West Bloomfield, MI
1090.5111)
City: West
Bloomfield
Kudos:
Protecting
Young Drivers
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8 e egrap
one 248-645-8888
in am Farms, M148025
866-353-BANK fax 248-530-2879
www. n st
16
March 9 • 2006
114
unitybank.corn
- C arolann Goode and Franci
Silver have known each other
since Orchard Lake Middle
School. They were in the same BBYO
chapter and were friends at West
Bloomfield High School. They were
married the same day in the same
year, too. When their daughters
became friends, they renewed their
own friendship.
They even think alike. In the check-
out lane of a grocery store they started
talking about dealing with daughters
who had just gotten their driving per-
mits. One floated an idea for a product
she'd been thinking about, and the
other told of a similar product. They
decided to work together.
Now, they are marketing My Permit
Pal, a 6-inch by 6-inch magnet to place
on the outside of cars that warns:
"Caution. New driver at the wheel."
They also have a version for senior
drivers. Silver, a personal injury attor-
ney, and Goode, a speech pathologist,
are passionate about their product.
Carolann, what's the idea behind
your magnet?
' "It's about ke e ping kids safe and pas-
sengers safe as well as the people
around them. After only three hours of
instruction, they are supposed to be
ready to drive, but without the protec-
tion of the signs on driving school
cars that say 'student driver:"
Are your 15-year-old daughters
good drivers?
"They are, but they follow every rule.
They drive the speed limit, or maybe
just below it. They do abrupt stops, 8
feet away from the sign. They just
don't have the experience yet."
Franci, how do the magnetic signs
help?
"When people would honk, my
daughter would say, 'What did I do?'
and get anxious. With the magnet,
there's less tailgating, less honking,
which increases their confidence and
reduces their anxiety — and ours."
Carolann, are the teens embar-
rassed by the magnets?
"My daughter wanted to know when
the magnets would be ready. Her
friends want them. When you look at
the statistics about teen drivers and
fatal accidents, their choice is to get in