Tips for Teenage Drivers & Their Parents/Guardians

It’s a fact: teenage drivers account for more auto accidents than any other age group. Parental involvement is a key way to help educate and protect them. It’s easy to become complacent after teenagers get their licenses. We spent months riding around with them teaching them the rules of the road. Why would we want to continue with those stressful and aggravating situations? New drivers are inexperienced in judging and reacting to the many dangers they face each time they drive. Many teenage drivers are driving to high school and other activities. These tips can underscore the habits that can help make them safer drivers:

1. Buckle up.Besides being the law, seat belts have been proven to save lives. However, the message is not getting through to all young drivers. In fatal crashes of 16-20 year olds, 60 percent were unbuckled at the time of the crash. A recent study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that these drivers were most likely to think that belts were potentially harmful.
2. Put down the phone.The risk of talking or texting while driving is high, especially for young people. Eleven percent of drivers under the age of 20 involved in fatal crashes were distracted.
3. Slow down.Teens tend to have the need for speed, due to their impulsive nature and poor judgment. Thirty-seven percent of male drivers between the ages of 15-20 were speeding right before their fatal crashes.
4. Don’t drink and drive.While young drivers are less likely than adults to drive after drinking, when they do, their crash risk is significantly higher, due to the alcohol effects, combined with their lack of driving experience. However, progress has been made. Since 1982, the number of drivers between the ages of 16-20 who were killed from driving drunk dropped 26 percent.
5. Watch out for intersections.Unfortunately, many drivers who get a yellow light, speed up instead of slowing down. Today, even more people drive through red lights. New and experienced drivers alike should always check the intersection to make sure it’s clear, before proceeding through on a green light. How many times have we all seen another driver go through a red light, while ours was green? If we had entered the intersection a split second sooner, we could have been in a horrific crash.
6. Be prepared. Before you head out, especially on a long trip, pack an emergency kit in your trunk. Items such as a flashlight, jumper cables, and first-aid kit are helpful to have— just in case.
7. Driving to school, a part-time job, or a friend’s house can take new drivers through unfamiliar parts of town, or may otherwise  present a challenging driving situation. For example, making a left-hand turn at a busy intersection lacking a green arrow can be tricky. Consider talking to them about finding an alternative route, if either of these scenarios occur.  The next time you’re driving together, give them some guidance on how to successfully navigate through a situation that’s new to them.
8. Limit night driving. Restricted driver-licensing programs place limits on night driving, and for good reason. Approximately 17 percent of teenagers’ fatalities occurred between 9 p.m. and midnight, and 24 percent occurred between midnight and 6 a.m.

9. Car accidents.Teens are three times more likely to have an accident per mile driven, than adults are. Obviously, inexperience behind the wheel is the leading cause. While we hope our teens are not involved in an accident, statistics say otherwise. Discussing what to do after an accident can be helpful for both of you. Trying to have a conversation over the phone with your teenager right after he/she has been in an accident can be difficult, for any number of reasons. Teaching your teenager what to do after an accident in advance, can make dealing with accident a bit easier. Click here on what to do after a car accident.
10. Parents should purchase a driver-monitoring app.Smartphone apps are available that monitor driving behaviors and send automatic text messages when teens arrive safely at their destinations. This is a good opportunity to monitor their driving, and to show you areas of driving where  your teen may benefit from additional instruction.
11. Roadside assistance.If you don’t have it, consider purchasing roadside assistance for your family. For adults, a dead battery or a flat tire can be a nuisance. For a new teen driver, it can be a scary situation. Teach your teenager that it’s best to stay in your car and wait for professional assistance. Drivers speeding by or distracted drivers have been known to kill or seriously injure stranded motorists standing outside their vehicles.
12. Watch the weather.In inclement weather, it is even more dangerous for a young driver to be on the road, due to his/her inexperience handling the car in those situations. Teach your child how to confidently handle weather challenges. Consider sending the teen to a driving school to learn car control techniques in a safe environment, preparing them to manage a skid or hydroplaning incident before they are faced with such challenges alone.
13. School parking lot.Depending on the size of your high school, the parking lot before and after school can be chaotic. You may want to suggest to your child that he/she get to school early and stay late. A few extra minutes before and after can make a big difference in avoiding congestion and fender benders.
14. Limit passengers.It’s a fact: the more passengers in a vehicle, the higher the risk of a fatal crash occurring.  With three or more passengers, the risk of a fatal crash is about four times higher than when a beginner drives alone. Studies also show that teens with passengers are more likely to take risks and be distracted, and when things go wrong, the tragedy is multiplied.
15. Drive the right car.Many parents buy an inexpensive, old car for their teen or pass on a hand-me-down well past its prime. Likely, those do not have the latest safety features such as electronic stability control, side-curtain air bags, back-up cameras, or blind spot warning features that are especially important for young drivers.  Be mindful of that fact.
16. Create rules. Set up a parent/teen contract and outline your own rules and penalties if they are broken. Take the keys away if necessary. You may save your child’s life, and maybe the lives of his/her passengers.