Teaching teens how to drive—and to drive safely—is at the forefront of parental worries from middle school on up. Even after children learn to drive, parents worry: Will he wreck? Does she drive too fast? Are their friends a bad influence?
Allowing your teen to get behind the wheel takes monumental strength. After all, according to the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), young people between the ages of 16 to 20 are more likely to die in a motor vehicle crash than any other way. Their fatality rate due to crashes is four times that of other age groups. We lost more than 7,500 of our teens in 2005 to this tragedy; is it any wonder parents are worried?
In order to try to emphasize the issue of teen drivers and safety, on September 5, 2007, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill establishing every third week in October as National Teen Driver Safety Week. This bill was introduced by Congressman Charlie Dent (R-PA); a similar bill is awaiting approval in the Senate and was introduced by Senator Bob Casey (D-PA).
The hope is that National Teen Driver Safety Week will inspire parents, civic leaders, and other community residents to consider causes and solutions of the leading cause of teen deaths. By encouraging discussion, we will raise awareness and begin to educate children and their parents so that we can reduce the national rate of driving-induced fatalities.
Studies show that parents are the greatest influence on their children’s driving habits. Kids do care what their parents do in the car, and they pay a lot of attention to the way their parents drive. Boys as young as eight years old have been known to describe the exact traffic infractions their parents committed. Do you think your child isn’t aware of your driving behavior? Think again!
Another interesting fact is that teens really do think about “what mom or dad will say” when they are driving. If their parents emphasize not speeding, for example, or leaving the cell phone turned off, they are a lot more likely to follow those instructions. So—as a parent you might feel as if your child isn’t listening, but the truth is that they do pay attention to your instructions.
Parents are the key to reducing teen driving deaths. One of the things all parents must do is discuss driving often with their children. But more important than spouting a bunch of rules at your child is the fact that kids need more time behind the wheel in order to learn the nuances of driving. It isn’t the driver education system that is failing: things like how the car handles in different kinds of weather and how to avoid hazards can’t be taught in a classroom. Parents seem to have largely washed their hands of the training, assuming that the schools will take care of it.
But this is a mistake. A parent is the most influential driving coach a child has. If you feel that you don’t have time to drive or you aren’t an adequate coach, share the responsibility with a paid instructor or with another adult whom you trust. This can be the best solution if the lessons between you and your child become tense.
There are a few rules that teen should be reminded of regularly:
Don’t drive without a seat belt. Studies show that teens are the age group least likely to buckle up.
Do not speed. The driver was speeding in 38 percent of fatal crashes involving teenaged male drivers in 2005.
Don’t drive tired. Teens are less likely than adults to drive while under the influence, but they are more likely to drive drowsy--a state that is at least as dangerous. Most drowsy-driving crashes are caused by drivers under the age of 25.
Be aware of distractions, and work to reduce them. One study showed that the majority of drivers who crashed experienced a distraction within a few seconds of the incident. Cell phones, eating or drinking in the vehicle, and passengers all play a role in driver safety. Help your child remember to pull over if he or she wants to chat on the phone, eat, or drink.
Having passengers increases your risk of crashing. Drivers who have one passenger have twice the risk of a fatal crash; those with two or more passengers have five times the risk. Consider limiting the number of passengers you allow in the vehicle, especially during the first year of driving.
Aside from talking about safety, the best way for parents to insulate their children from harm is simply to let them practice driving. The more experience a child has behind the wheel, the more he will know how to scan for hazards, avoid obstacles, and react to ever-changing traffic conditions. He’ll also learn how the vehicle handles in various weather conditions, and under the parent’s watchful eye he can begin to create good safety habits—like buckling up or driving under the speed limit.
If you feel that your own influence isn’t enough, consider a teen driver safety program. Allowing your child to participate in one of these lets him know that safety, beyond the normal driver training class at school, is important to you. Try using an Internet search engine; search for “teen driving class.”
Also, consider making a contract with your child. The “I Promise” program, located at http://www.ipromiseprogram.com/ , helps parents to create a contract with their child. The contract talks about risks, expectations, and responsibilities behind the wheel.
For a high-tech option, visit http://www.teensafedriver.com . This innovative program, free to members of American Family Insurance, provides a free video camera which is installed in the teen’s vehicle. It records only the “risky” behaviors. Feedback is provided from safety analysts, plus parents can view the videos so they know what their child is up to behind the wheel.
Teens love to drive. It’s a rite of passage, a symbol of maturity—and it gives a great sense of freedom. But keeping our teens safe should be the first item on the agenda. It takes hours and hours behind the wheel to build the skills that are needed. Why not start today?
For more information: visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at http://www.nhtsa.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/
Information from AAA about driving laws from state to state: http://www.aaamidatlantic.com/insurance/auto_laws.asp.
Tanya Davis is a certified child passenger safety technician and traffic columnist. Visit her driving blog at http://www.tanyadavis.blogspot.com
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