The statistics regarding teen drivers are sobering. Nearly 6,000 teens are killed every year in car crashes...and roughly two-thirds are male. About one-in-five 16 year-olds - both male and female - are involved in police-reported crashes each year. That's 20 percent of all 16 year-olds who drive!
You can help make a difference. Take the time to talk with your teen about their becoming a safe driver (I'm happy to provide a few talking points to help you). And don't think they won't listen. Three out of four teens say their parents would be the best influence in getting them to drive more safely.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that night driving and driving with friends in the car often leads to more teen crashes and deaths. Other distractions that you should talk to your teen about include talking on a cell phone, text-messaging, eating while driving, and listening to loud music. Each of these activities impairs their ability to drive attentively.
So what else can be done to help reduce teen driver accidents and deaths?
Most states have introduced some form of Graduated Licensing program for new drivers. Graduated licensing means that as teens gain experience on the road and prove they're good drivers, they graduate to fewer restrictions and more driving privileges. Here are some recommendations for creating your own graduated licensing program:
- Put limits on the number of passengers your teen can have in the car.
- Establish and enforce a house curfew. Check with your local police department to see if your town has an established curfew for teens. If not, set your own. In addition, many states now include night driving restrictions as part of their graduated licensing system. Make sure your child observes these.
- Insist on use of seat belts. Remind your kids that just because the car has air bags doesn't mean that they don't have to wear seat belts anymore. The two are meant to work together.
- Limit or supervise your teen's driving on weekends. The highest number of driving crashes occur on Friday and Saturday nights, and early Saturday and Sunday mornings.
- Set driving area limits.
- And, prohibit driving or riding with others under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Also make sure your teen knows that you'll pick him or her up if they ever need a ride.
The other thing you should do is help your teen become a better driver. That means practice, practice, practice! As your parents probably did for you, start practicing in parking lots. For night driving, stick to roads that are familiar to your teen until he or she gets better at it. Don't always drive the same route to the grocery store and back. Give your young driver a chance to practice on different routes that present different challenges.
Start slow with short sessions to minimize stress to both you and your teen. Make sure your teen has had at least 50 hours of practice with you before getting licensed. And, continue practicing until you and your teen feel comfortable with his or her driving abilities.
Learning to drive can be stressful, for both the teen and the parent. To ease the stress, don't make the same mistakes that other parents have made. For example, don't talk too much while your teen is driving - but don't wait too long to point out problems. Also, it's best not to have other people in the car.
For teens, the mistakes are more technical. First, they should slow down more in complex situations. They tend to expect the best rather than the worst. And they should scan the landscape more often.
As always, kids learn by example, so set a good one and be a good role model. Always wear your seat belt, don't speed, and don't do other things while driving, like talking on the phone, putting on makeup, or eating and drinking. Stay focused on the road and practice what you preach.
