ro www.RegentStreeiofWest,Bloonifield.coin DOER P 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 0 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