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Preparing your Teen to Drive
Parents worry about teens dealing with alcohol, drugs and violence, but all too often, they overlook the biggest danger teens face today - traffic crashes.
Traffic crashes are the number one cause of death for teens, and the problem is not going away. An Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study found traffic crash rates were decreasing for every age group except 16-year-olds.
Teens are particularly at risk because they don't have enough experience behind the wheel to properly react to dangerous situations and they engage in risky behaviors such as not wearing seat belts, speeding and allowing distractions to pull their attention from the road.
"Inexperience and risk-taking behavior are a lethal combination," says Kathy Konicki, Nationwide's Director of Safety. "Teens don't have the knowledge to handle dangerous situations; situations they often put themselves in."
States have stepped in to help solve the problem. Several states have passed Graduated Driver License (GDL) laws. These laws help ease teens into the driving experience by increasing the amount of time a teen must spend behind the wheel before obtaining an unrestricted license. The provisions, which vary by state, typically limit nighttime driving and the number of passengers.
While a good start, GDL laws are not the only answer to the teen driving problem. Parents need to play an active role in helping their teen learn to drive. Parents extend the learning process beyond driver's education courses and the GDL provisions to help teens slowly and safely learn to drive.
Konicki offers the following tips to help parents and teens safely navigate the learning process:
Implement your own GDL program. This is especially important if your state has not passed a strong GDL program. The program should meet the needs of you and your teen, but some points to emphasize include:
- Time and distance - Limit nighttime driving and driving far from home in unfamiliar areas.
- Passengers - Limit the number of passengers, starting with zero and slowly increase. Passengers are one of the biggest distractions for teens.
- Weather and road conditions - Limit driving in poor conditions such as heavy rain or snow.
- Safe driving behavior - Starting good driving habits such as always wearing a seat belt, obeying traffic laws and abstaining from alcohol and drug use now can help your teen carry them for life.
- Timeframes - Set a timeframe in which restrictions will be eased.
Develop a teen-parent contract. Clearly outline the points mentioned above and any consequences for not following the contract to help avoid any confusion about what you and your teen expect from each other. Work with your teen to develop the contract to open a dialogue about concerns and expectations. Consider adding additional points to the contract such as expectations for keeping grades up, responsibilities for caring for the car and agreeing to keep your emotions in check when riding with your teen.
Practice makes perfect. Enroll your teen in a reputable driver's education course that offers extensive behind-the-wheel training. Take your teen out driving often and give coaching on his or her driving strengths and weaknesses. Remember your teen is also nervous - work together calmly.
Start slow. Remember to ease your teen into the driving experience. When you practice, start in an empty parking lot, slowly working your way up to busier streets with higher speed limits.
"With a little practice and coaching, teens can get ready for the road," says Konicki. "We can help keep our teens better prepared to take on the serious responsibility of driving."
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