Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
Surnames: Swita, LeMont, Halthaus, Spencer
----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 12/14/2022
Young Drivers Learn Clean Trunks Mean Safe Vehicles (2022)
Twenty-one young drivers pose with Neillsville High School District alumni, Scott Swita (far left) and Jeremy LeMont (middle, right), as well as Jeff Halthaus (middle, left) with State Farm Insurance, and Corrine Spencer (middle) with the Clark County Health Department, after cleaning out the junk in their trunks. Stephanie Dayton/Clark County Press
By Stephanie Dayton
On Dec. 6th, State Farm Insurance met with the School District of Neillsville’s driving-age students for a “Clean out the Trunk Junk” event to discuss the importance of having a clean and prepared vehicle with new drivers, especially in the Wisconsin winters.
As it turns out, many teens don’t have the necessary equipment needed to stay safe in a vehicle emergency. State Farm Insurance company did some surveying of the average 16–19-year old’s trunk contents: 60% had a spare tire, 49% had jumper cables, 38% had tools, 34% had a first aid kit, 33% had an ice scraper, 32% had a flashlight, 31% had a blanket, and 30% had spare clothes or shoes.
To have a safe and prepared vehicle, every trunk should have the following items in case of an emergency: hazard triangle, jumper cables, road salt or cat litter, ice scraper, extra phone charger, high calorie food and water, tarp, crucial medications, first aid kit, duct tape, blanket, tools, and a flashlight.
Jeff Holthaus with State Farm Insurance brought the students each an ice scraper and a flashlight to keep in their trunk in case they didn’t already have one. The young drivers were also taught about the importance of these supplies and why they should be kept in the vehicle at all times.
A hazard triangle is used to alert other drivers that a car has pulled over and is idle. This allows for the moving car to safely pass.
Jumper cables are used to start a car once the battery has died. One end of the cables attaches to the dead car, while the other end attaches to a properly working one.
Road salt or cat litter can be used to help car tires gain traction on icy roads. If a car becomes stuck on an icy patch, sprinkling road salt/cat litter helps the tires find traction to move the car out off of the icy patch.
An ice scraper is essential for any Wisconsin vehicle. All vehicles should be cleared of all ice and snow before leaving. Any amount of moisture while driving can become ice on the windshield. Keeping a scraper in the vehicle can help.
Extra clothes, shoes, chargers, and blankets should also be kept in the case of severe cold or weather.
A first aid kit and medications are essential for addressing any injuries that may occur during an emergency. Taking care of medical needs as quickly as possible can make the difference between life or death.
Tools and duct tape should be kept in the trunk in case any repairs may be needed.
The young drivers were then put to the test to see just how clean their own trunks were. And if any extra cleaning was needed, large trash cans were provided. The students got to cleaning quickly and were eager to show off their nice clean trunks, and newfound safe driving knowledge.
Neillsville School District senior, MacKenzie Hediger shows off her clean and emergency ready trunk. Inside she has spare blankets, clothes, tools, and a spare tire.
