Rocky Mountain Tracking

by James Neely, freelance writer: click | HERE | to check out GPS products from Rocky Mountain Tracking

It is unfortunate when parents find it out of their reach to instruct their own children on how to be responsible when they are behind the wheel of a vehicle.  But, equally as sad is when a ‘good’ teen driver has an accident that claims their life or the life of another person.

Teen Drivers

Sometimes it seems as though nothing that you say or do sinks in with your kids.  Should you be held accountable for that?  That is another discussion for another day.  Concentrating on steps you can take to help keep them safe is more productive.  Here are some tips that you can use:

Set boundaries. Discipline is a lost necessity in many families but that does not mean that it should be discarded completely.  Make sure that you establish boundaries that are not negotiable.  Sitting down and talking about what is right and wrong is a requirement for setting boundaries.

Encourage safe driving habits. How long has it been since you rode with your teen driver?  You should do it on a regular basis and let them know why you are there:  to help them with their driving.  Bad habits need to be broken, and good ones need to be cultivated.

Some bad habits:  not using turn signals, making lane changes without looking beforehand, not looking both ways and/or stopping at stop signs.

Some good habits: Checking mirrors often, watch speeds and speed limits, slow down way in advance of a stop sign or light, put on seat belt before starting the car.

Watch Your Drivers. When they know that they are being watched, they are more likely to make responsible decisions.  This applies to driving on the roadways as well.  You can show them that speeding not only places them in jeopardy of getting a moving violation ticket, but also does little to decrease the time it takes to reach their destination.

This is like any other task in that it takes time and effort to make it happen.  It is also important to set a good example.  If you have bad driving habits of your own then get rid of them.  Talk about them with your teen driver to help make an impact on them as to why you need to change.  You might be surprised at the outcome.

Finally, don’t be afraid to talk about the consequences of irresponsible driving.  Incidents are happening in your area all the time.  A little fear can be healthy as long as it is based on reality.  That type of fear can help alter actions.  In this case, not wanting to get into an accident can help them focus on being a good driver.

If you fear that the above is not enough, maybe it is time to add a GPS Tracking device to the vehicle that your teen drives.  Whether you tell them or not is up to you, but it might be the catalyst necessary to help you make a statement about how good driving is important.

By Harriette Halepis

If you’re like most pet owners, you’d probably do almost anything to make sure that your pup is safe. But what happens when you are not around? Do the people you hire to take care of your pet really do what you ask them to? While most of us would love to assume that the people we trust with our pets are, well, trustworthy, this may not always be the case.

GPS Tracking & Pets

Thousands of people around the world hire dog walkers and dog nannies on a regular basis. While you can check references, up until this point it was impossible to ensure that your dog is safe when you leave it with another person. What’s changed? GPS tracking dog collars are now available, and they’re selling quickly for a good reason: security.

Dog owners across the world are finding out that some dog walkers and sitters can’t be trusted. With the help of a GPS tracking collar, you can determine whether or not your dog actually goes for a walk, or simply sits inside someone’s apartment for an hour. You can also figure out whether or not your dog sitter leaves your pooch sitting in a corner all day long.

Thanks to the innovative technology that is GPS tracking, you never have to leave your pup’s side. By simply placing a GPS collar around your dog’s neck, you will be able to track your pet’s every movement. In most instances, dog walkers and sitters are true professionals, but it never hurts to be certain that your dog is safe at all times. The best part about a GPS collar is that you don’t even have to tell a walker or sitter that your dog is wearing one.

While it may be illegal to track another person without written consent, it’s not illegal to attach a GPS tracker to your dog’s collar. If the collar is removed at any point throughout the day, then you can question a sitter or walker about the lack of inactivity. You can also instruct these people not to remove your dog’s collar under any circumstance. Since dogs aren’t likely to lose collars randomly, it would be fairly difficult for someone to explain to you the reasons why your dog lost its collar.

Some people may view the use of GPS dog collars in this manner as sneaky, but ensuring that your family pet is safe is far more important. Instead of purchasing a dog collar and a separate GPS tracking collar, simply keep the GPS collar on your dog at all times. This way, you can also find out if your dog escapes the backyard while you are away.

Many people use GPS dog collars to keep an eye on a dog’s whereabouts throughout the day, though your dog should also be tracked when you leave it with other people. Not only will you be able to ensure your dog’s safety with the help of a GPS tracker, but you’ll also gain peace of mind knowing that your dog is completely safe. GPS tracking collars are now available at a number of retailers, and most of these collars are compact and slim, so you don’t have to worry about any doggy discomfort.

By Greg Bartlett

Is there a driver in your life that causes you to worry?  Maybe it’s a new teenage driver, a suspicious spouse, or an employee that frequently travels.  No matter what the case may be, a tracking key can put all your worries to rest by giving you accurate information regarding the whereabouts and traveling habits of the person in question.

The Tracking Key

The tracking key is a small GPS tracking device that can be placed in or on the vehicle belonging to the person in question.  It is magnetic, so it can easily be hidden on the bottom of a car.  The tracking key receives information from satellites and records it for later retrieval by means of the USB port located at one end of the key. The information you receive can be shown graphically as a route over a city map or over a satellite image of the earth; or it can be received textually as a written report for you to read.  The tracking key is foolproof; it is a discreet and easy way to track the people you love or employ.  It keeps them accountable, and it keeps you in charge and in the know.

The tracking key can also be used in criminal investigations such as the one involving George Ford.  Here a man was accused of killing a young girl with his car.  His story is that around midnight one night in April 2007, he drove a young girl home after babysitting.  On the way, he stopped to show her some horses, at which time she got out to look at them.  He claimed that he accidentally ran her over as he was performing a reckless U turn.  He also claimed that, out of shock, he waited three hours before taking her to the hospital around 3 a.m.  However, he was unaware that there was a tracking key already on his car that told a different story.  The tracking key showed that his first stop was actually an abandoned house at which the car stayed for three hours.  It also showed that there was a collision around 3 a.m.  Investigators believe that the young girl ran away from Ford at the house, and he chased her and intentionally ran her down.  In the end, it was the tracking key that convicted him of murder and brought justice to the girl’s family.  Tracking keys truly are extremely useful.

by James Neely, freelance writer: click | HERE | to check out GPS products from Rocky Mountain Tracking

GPS Tracking is used as a proactive tool to help others keep watch over their vehicles and other valuable assets that are out-of-doors and constantly on the move.  It makes sense.

Personal Safety & GPS Tracking

But, consider this also:  GPS Tracking devices can be used as a way to keep track on your own movements.  It’s a kind of reverse tracking method that is very effective.

If you have ever been the object of a stalker or relationship that has broken down and now contains the elements of relationship abuse, then you might consider one of these devices.  It seems that everyone knows of situations in a relationship that could have benefitted from a GPS Tracking device.  Certainly we hear of them all of the time in the news.

By installing and using one in your vehicle, you can track your own movements and report on them as needed.  This is also good for supplying evidentiary support in court room settings.

In addition, if an unfortunate situation occurs where you are forced to drive your vehicle to a remote area, it can be tracked and found instantly with the proper model installed.  Also, with geo-fencing, you can set boundaries which can send out alerts if they have been broken.

Another area in which GPS Tracking devices can be used is in placing them on vehicles of suspects of violent crimes or stalking.  Their movements can be monitored constantly with data provided that can give a history of the location, direction and speed of the vehicle.

Finally, GPS Tracking devices are invaluable in tracking the vehicles of those who are suspected in marital infidelity cases.  Being able to place a car at a specific location and time helps validate the actions of the suspects.

These applications for GPS Tracking devices are the unseemly side of tracking, yet they are valuable in helping maintain law and order.  Peace of mind is also afforded because it is better knowing than not knowing in these cases.  Formulating actions based on facts rather than hunches is a better way to live.

While cost is often not as great of an issue when used in this case, it is nice to know that for just a few hundred dollars, these GPS Tracking devices can be employed with great results for the user.  In fact, the cost is far outweighed by the benefits.

Keep yourself and your loved ones safe with the use of a GPS Tracking device.  It has the potential to not only keep you safe, but maybe save a life, too.  You never know.

By Greg Bartlett

Truancy is a serious problem in many school districts. Traditionally it has been a difficult problem to deal with since neither the parents nor the teachers monitor students at all times. In some states, however, that situation may be about to change. A recent pilot program in Texas experimented with equipping students who have truancy records with a GPS tracking device to help keep them in school. So far, the program has been a success.

GPS & Truancy

The GPS tracking device carried by students in the pilot program allows them to be monitored at all times during the school day. The transmitter sends signals at intervals to a computer and the information can be viewed in real time or as a report at the end of the day. So far, the schools using the devices have been pleased with their performance and plan to expand the pilot programs to be implemented as part of the regular truancy procedures.

As other states begin to follow Texas in making GPS tracking part of their standard operating procedure for truant students, school leadership will appreciate the diverse options available when purchasing a GPS tracking device. Models and capabilities vary widely, and as the technology develops, GPS units will become smaller and smarter. Current models allow operators to set up zone perimeters, which, when crossed, will send an alert to the receiving software or to a cell phone. If a student tries to leave the property during the school day, school officials will know immediately.

Knowledge that their whereabouts can be determined at any point seems to give students with a tendency toward truancy a reason to stay in school. A truancy judge determines which students need to wear the devices and for how long. Parents of students in the pilot programs have backed the program as well, recognizing the need for their kids to stay in school in order to get the best start in life. With nearly one-third of high school students nationwide dropping out of school before graduation, the use of a GPS tracking device for truants could represent a significant shift in the ability of school officials to encourage attendance.

The data for high school dropouts is sobering: high school graduates earn approximately $10,000 less than their counterparts each year once they enter the workforce, adding up to nearly $319 billion in wages lost over the course of their careers. If equipping students with a GPS tracking device can alter those numbers even a small amount, the investment will be well worth it.

By Greg Bartlett

Alzheimer’s disease is a serious threat, with approximately 5.3 million Alzheimer’s patients in the US.  As the 7^th leading cause of death in the US, family members are no doubt concerned any time they discover that a loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

GPS Tracking & Alzheimer's

Besides memory loss, impaired judgment, and personality changes, one of the most serious threats for Alzheimer’s patients is wandering.  The Alzheimer’s patient may get lost in his or her own neighborhood, becoming confused and disoriented no matter how many times he or she has been there before.  For every 10 people with Alzheimer’s, 6 will wander and 7 will wander repeatedly.  If the patient is not found within 24 hours, he or she will likely be injured or even die.

In Canada, two people have died within the past few months because of Alzheimer’s.  In the more recent instance, an 80-year-old woman went outside at night, apparently thinking she would get groceries, and ended up dying of hyperthermia.

GPS tracking devices can help save the life of your loved ones.  Many of these devices are small and can be put around the Alzheimer’s patient’s wrist or neck, or even in pieces of their clothing, such as their shoes.  The GPS tracking device will then monitor the individual, alerting you, a caregiver, or even a hospital and the police if the Alzheimer’s patient leaves predetermined boundaries or travels during certain hours.  If your grandmother, for instance, leaves your house during the middle of the night, you’ll find out immediately and can retrieve her before she, too, dies of hyperthermia.

With the ability to monitor the Alzheimer’s patient’s location in real time, a GPS tracking device can increase your loved one’s safety and your peace of mind.  Furthermore, it can even save money.  Search and rescue efforts by individuals and by the government can cost billions of dollars each year.  With GPS devices, the search time can be drastically reduced while the effectiveness is increased - after all, it’s hard to get much faster or more accurate than locating the individual in real time.

Family members whose loved one is suffering from Alzheimer’s are already going through enough while watching their family member slowly die.  They don’t need the added worry of the Alzheimer’s patient wandering off and possibly dying.  With a GPS tracking device, that concern can be removed, leaving the family free to enjoy the time left with their loved one.

By Greg Bartlett

Insecurity is the silent killer of all relationships.  It sneaks in and causes you to question your partner’s faithfulness.  It steals your trust in that person and leaves you with nothing but doubts.  There is a way to get rid of insecurity in a relationship.  GPS tracking is a discreet way to track the whereabouts of your significant other without their suspecting a thing.  You can find out where they go on a regular basis-along with other various details about their travel.  Partner or spouse tracking can give you the confidence of knowing exactly where your loved one is at all times; it brings back the trust and gives you peace of mind.

GPS Tracking & Spouses

You probably know that GPS stands for Global Positioning System, and it is a means of tracking something or someone.  It uses information received from satellites to record or send information.  Typically a GPS tracking unit is one of two types:  a data logger or a data pusher.  A data logger is a portable and discreet unit that is typically used in spouse tracking to locate a vehicle.  It is hidden on the vehicle, and it records all of the vehicle’s activity.  This activity would include route of travel, speed of travel, and any stops made.  Another type of GPS tracking unit is the data pusher.  A GPS unit is placed on the vehicle, and, instead of recording the data, it would periodically send, or “push” the data to a computer where it can be analyzed.  These are often used in spouse tracking as a means of surveillance.

One man who knows all too well the need for spouse tracking is Daniel Gomez, the lead detective of Gomez Detective Agency and former Dallas police officer.  His ample load of casework can be seen on TV on the show “Cheaters.”  He is to infidelity what a detective is to homicide.  One of the most common surveillance tools he uses is GPS tracking. Daniel Gomez frequently installs GPS tracking devices on the vehicles of his client’s choosing to help him gain important information about the chosen person’s travel habits and current whereabouts.  This information will either prove the existence of an affair or give the peace of mind that the suspected spouse was innocent.  Either way, if you or someone you know has nagging doubts about a spouse’s faithfulness, spouse tracking with GPS is just what you need.

By Greg Bartlett

Do you remember how you kept teasing your kids when they were little that you needed to keep them on a leash? Well, GPS technology has created personal tracking that will keep you up-to-date with their movements at any moment. There are a variety of options available for personal tracking and it can be used for a number of reasons.

GPS & Children

Trackmykids.com has created miniature GPS devices that can be attached to backpacks, belts, or coats to monitor your child’s whereabouts. If you want to know the path that they traveled to school, where they are at the current moment, or even whether they stayed within the boundaries that you gave them, this technology might work for you. This site is one of many that offers child tracking, allowing you to have a logon and password so that you are the only one who has access to that information.

GPS tracking is a technology that has been developed recently in science. Although there are many types of GPS tracking, the basics behind it are the same. There must be some sort of device that is connected the object in question. When the device is activated, it begins recording data or transmitting signals to satellites that are strategically located. These satellites reflect the signals to a central computer that records and analyzes the information. Technicians can then make this information available to the public as needed.

A recent event in news has caused a public outcry in regards to the extent that personal tracking has gone. Several schools across the USA have given their students new computers to assist them with schoolwork. The downside, as many have found out, is that the webcam on those computers has been taking pictures and videos of the students working at the computers, or even of other people that are in the room. While this may not sound bad, these cameras have caught some very compromising situations on tape and several school board officials have been questioned regarding the integrity of such a project.

Personal tracking may be the answer to maintaining the security and privacy of your children, but make sure that you consider all the side effects. These items are easily attained and you can even carry one on yourself so that others know your location in case of an emergency. Check out what GPS tracking can do for you.

By Greg Bartlett

The news seems full of reports of teen driving deaths, around 3,500 in 2008 alone, and many parents wonder how they can keep their own young drivers safe. Certainly, when teenagers are learning, the solution is easy. Parents can sit right next to their children and monitor their every move, telling them to slow down, stop at stoplights, and cautioning them against reckless driving. However, what do parents do once their children are fully trained and learn to drive by themselves?

Teen Drivers & GPS

Many families have started using vehicle tracking systems to solve this problem. These systems allow parents to see exactly where their child is and what their child is doing. If a teenager is going over 70 in a 45 zone, he may find his phone ringing with a lecture from his mom. If another teenager appears to be engaged in reckless driving and won’t answer her phone, parents can track where she is and find her. Although these situations may seem unnecessary and annoying, especially to the teenagers involved, many lives could be saved by using GPS tracking.

Guy Thompson of Lake Oswego, Oregon tracks his 16 year old driver, Maggie using a vehicle tracking device. At first, he admits, he checked on her regularly throughout the day, and Maggie confesses she didn’t like being on a leash. However, the pair says that after awhile, Thompson started checking only once a day, and she grew used to the vehicle tracking device, forgetting, at times, that it was even there. Of course, like any teenager, she wishes her parents didn’t use it in the first place, but she is willing to put up with the process and does acknowledge that it helped cultivate trust between her and her parents. Thompson, however, feels the device is fine. Although, he does add that it needs to be between parents and children.

Although many teenagers may feel these devices signify a lack of trust on their parents’ part, most parents view that miscommunication as a small price to pay for the safety and continued lives of their children. Granted, some children are trustworthy without GPS tracking. Still, many others need the accountability provided by such a device. Parents of teen drivers should seriously consider purchasing a vehicle tracking device, thus preventing their own children from being one of the next 3,500 deaths this year.

By Greg Bartlett

With 26.6 million people diagnosed with Alzheimers, far too many families understand the risk and concerns that go along with caring for a victim of this disease. Alzheimer patients will often wander away from their family and/or caretakers without giving any information about where they went.

GPS Tracking & Alzheimer's

Since the invention of GPS tracking, it has been used in several ways. Police can track criminals on parole, parents can track their young teenage drivers, and suspicious spouses can monitor their possibly unfaithful mate. Recently, several states have discussed widening its uses and implementing GPS devices into their Silver Alert Programs.

The tendency of Alzheimer victims to wander has given rise to Silver Alerts. Similar to Amber Alert, Silver Alerts allow caretakers and family to broadcast, over the television, radio, or other media, information about a missing Alzheimer sufferer. GPS tracking can make finding someone in these dangerous and too often heartbreaking situations easier. Families can put a GPS device into the shoe or some other piece of clothing of a loved one. Alerts will be sent to family members phone or computer if the loved one passes a certain line. Also, GPS tracking devices can help families avoid situations like that of 77 year old William Young, found dead in a river after wandering from his house several days earlier. One can only wonder how Young’s situation and other like it might have ended differently were Young outfitted with a GPS device.

GPS devices have already been useful in similar situations. In fact, due to the success of GPS tracking in such circumstances, Indianapolis is discussing making these devices mandatory for Alzheimer victims. Discussion continues on this possible piece of legislation. Many groups feel the move is unnecessary, others feel it will save lives. However, both sides agree that an optional GPS program, at least, will greatly decrease the chances of more missing or dead Alzheimers victims and their grieving families. Regardless of whether a law is passed, all families dealing with an Alzheimer Disease situation need to consider GPS tracking.

Many families and caretakers may wonder if the price of a GPS tracking device is worth the investment. However, with prices always falling and the safety of a loved one in question, these devices are worth the investment. Those with a loved one suffering from Alzheimer Disease should start looking into the devices immediately.