Tips for Parents of Teenage Drivers

BALANCING LIFE’S ISSUES

Objectives

Review statistics on teen driving

Know major causes of accidents

Understand factors to determine driving

readiness

Strategies for parents

Teen Driving Statistics

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause

of death for teenagers.

16-year-olds are three times more likely to die

in a motor vehicle crash than the average of

all drivers.

Teen drivers have the highest crash risk of

any age group.

Did you know….

According to a survey by The Allstate

Foundation: 56% of young drivers use cell phones while driving. Over 64% of teens say that they speed to keep up with

traffic or to go through a yellow light. 47% of teens say that passengers sometimes distract

them. 24% of parents say they have allowed their teen driving

privileges against their own better judgment. 89% of teens say their parents are most influential in

encouraging safer driving.

Major Causes of Teen-Involved Motor Vehicle Accidents

Texting

Talking on cell phone

Inexperience/driver error

Attitudes/decision making abilities

Low risk perception

Speeding

Distraction from other passengers

Night driving

Is My Teen Ready to Drive?

Parents should ask themselves: Does my teen make good decisions and demonstrate good

judgment and responsibility in other major life areas? Does he have a good attitude and respect for the

responsibility of driving? Does he seem excessively apprehensive or overly confident?

Does he show good coordination of his senses? Does he tend to give into peer pressure? How does my teen manage his emotions? Will it effect his

driving? Is he willing to respect my ground rules for driving as well

as the rules of the road? Consider a graduated drivers license.

Strategies for Parents

Don’t rely solely on driver’s education to discuss the risks, responsibilities and importance of safe driving– beginning at an early age, frequently talk with your child about these issues

Be involved and provide the majority of supervised driving practice before, during and after your teen receives his license

Establish and enforce driving ground rules

Restrict newly licensed teen to lower-risk situations and

gradually phase in more driving privileges as your teen gains

more experience and maturity

Share your rules with other parents and become aware of

theirs

Know and enforce local and state driving laws

Strategies for Parents

Restrict the number of passengers

Require seatbelt use and prohibit alcohol

Limit night driving, risky times and in

bad weather

Remember to be a model of safe driving

behavior

Don’t rush the process - some teens

need more time and practice to be ready

Stress that driving is a privilege

Resources

www.kidsandcars.orghttp://www.cdc.gov/Motorvehiclesafety/Teen_

Drivers/index-fs.htmlwww.5myteen.com