Teen Drivers

AAA auto has released some alarming statistics on teen drivers in the United States. The report states in 2003 teenagers accounted for 10 percent of the population but were involved in 13 percent of the motor vehicle fatalities. One fourth of those teens that were fifteen to twenty years old were in speed related crashes. If the teen had a group of friends in the car with them it increased the risk of being involved in a fatal crash 1.5 times.

Role models

The teenager that is learning the skills of driving is exposed to many role models during this learning process. Research continues to report that parents are the greatest influence to violations of speeding, tailgating and running red lights. These behaviors are usually monitored subconsciously but are mimicked when the young driver is learning. Teaching the teen the rules to safe driving will mold them into safer drivers.

It is recommended that a parent spend 100 hours driving with their teenager in all types of weather conditions. Parents should emphasize the importance that all individuals riding in the car must wear their seat belt.  Federal crash data shows that more than two-thirds of teen occupants killed in crashes didn’t wear their seat belt. The use of cell phones is another important dialogue to have with your teen as this distraction and friends who ride with them is a factor in 25 to 50 percent of all automobile accidents.

Milestone

Learning to drive is an important milestone in the life of a teenager and their parents. They have displayed the maturity to drive themselves to school activities, jobs and doctor appointments. It can become difficult for parents to set boundaries with their teenager on driving privileges and the consequences when they are abused. Parents should consider writing a teen-parent driving agreement to establish boundaries for when the teen is driving unsupervised. This could include rules for driving at night, inclement weather, and how many passengers are allowed in the car at one time. Consequences for violating the agreement would be a loss of driving time from weeks to months depending on the severity of the infraction.

Establishing guidelines with your teen driver will keep them protected. Knowing that your teen understands what to do if they are in an accident or pulled over for a violation can make parents less anxious. Reviewing the rules for teens to call their parents if their plans change or they are running late can also help build trust in the relationship. These guidelines can be a starting point for parents and teens to discuss that driving is a privilege that is earned.