I’m not a big worrier as a parent. I don’t freak out over fevers or stay up at night fretting over my teens’ future choices. There is one thing I am concerned about though, and it keeps me on my knees: TEEN DRIVERS. The teen who leaves socks balled on the living room floor and peanut butter on the counter (constantly) is now in control of a moving vehicle, on busy roads, and must remember 10,934 rules of the road! My daughter Arianna is currently signed up to take Driver’s Ed, and so this is heavy on my thoughts.
There is a reason to be concerned…
Teen Risks:
- Car crashes are the #1 killer of teens
- Teens crash most often because they are inexperienced – not because they take more risks behind the wheel.
- Other teen passengers are one of the biggest distractions for teen drivers. Just one teen passenger raises a teen driver’s fatal crash risk 44 percent. Two passengers doubles fatal crash risk. Three or more quadruples crash risk.
- Most fatal nighttime crashes involving teen drivers happen between 9 p.m. and midnight
- More than half of teens killed in car crashes were not restrained by a seatbelt.
There is good news though …
PARENTS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
- Parents are the #1 influencer on teens’ driving behavior
- Parents need to practice driving with their teen even AFTER they get their licence
- Parents should drive how they want their teen to drive
- Parents should set rules in the home they don’t answer the phone while driving and you don’t expect their teen to answer the calls/texts while driving
- Practice, practice, practice with your teen
5 Tools to Help Your Teen Driver Stay Safe
- Visit: DriveitHOME.org This website has a lot of information for parents and new teen drivers.
- Watch these Drive It Home Videos with your teen. They are informative … and some are quite funny! Even if your teen rolls their eyes they WILL remember the information.
- Sign the New Driver Deal: This is a commitment for both the teen driver and his/her parents. It allows you as the parent to determine the terms of the contract, and it’s something that can be printed up and referred to often.
- Consider printing up and posting some of these graphics. And watch this presentation and share it! You never know how many teen lives can be saved! This is perfect for parent groups or PTA meetings.
- Finally … Stay involved with your teen’s driving experience. Even AFTER they get their license, practice with them and set rules in your house that are stronger than the state’s law.
I’m going through these resources with Arianna. She’s precious and important to me and worth the time. And I know your teen driver is too!
*This post is sponsored by SheSavvy and The National Safety Council. Thank you for supporting all Tricia Goyer collaborations.
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