National Teen Driver Safety Week 2009 focuses on parents

October 18-24 is National Teen Driver Safety Week, but this year's theme is not teens; it's parents.

Two recent studies in the journal Pediatrics suggest that parental involvement and restrictions significantly reduce risky driving behavior during a driver’s first 12 to 18 months behind the wheel. So, it only makes sense to try and get teens to drive safer by getting their parents more involved.

Remember, parents control the car keys; parents need to set the rules of the road.

Need some motivation? Here are some compelling facts from 2007:

• Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens;
• More than one in three deaths for this age group involves a motor vehicle;
• More than 4,200 teens in the United States, aged 15–19, are killed in motor vehicle crashes;
• 11 teens, ages 16-19, die every day from motor vehicle injuries;
• 400,000 teens were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor-vehicle crashes; and
• Per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely than older drivers to crash.

Look, it's simple. Teens are the least experienced drivers on the road. And, they tend to take on greater risk and underestimate dangerous situations.

So, parents, please, talk to your kids about the dangers of driving.  It's not just good parenting, it's a matter of life and death.

Comments

[Steven Landers]

Teens also are always talking or twittering while driving there needs to be more strict sanctions on teens driving while talking on phones or twittering. They are distracted and cant handle the vehicle while being ditracted.

[Michael E. Bailey]

Parents do need to set the rules for teen drivers. Among those should be one that says if you want to use your cell phone stop the car in a safe place first and then talk. Using the phone while you drive, will get your car keys taken away for awhile. A second rule no alcohol or drugs and driving. If you do, you loose your car keys for a long time. Another rule. If you have to take prescription medication that makes you sleepy at the wheel, you either have to get all your driving done before you take your medicine or not do any driving until you no longer need the medicine. Some teens who have developmental disabilities should be excempted from driver's education in the high schools and be told bytheparents and the state no license period end of story; but in exchange, we will give you a monthly bus pass or monthly paratransit coupons each month. Best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.

[mary k]

Teens are always talking, twittering and/or texting while driving there needs to be more strict sanctions on teens driving while talking on phones or twittering. A few great and informative schools I’ve used for ...
Online Traffic School, Internet Defensive Driving School & Driver Education Improvement.

http://www.IdiotsTrafficSchool.com
http://www.FreeTryTrafficSchool.com
http://www.DummiesTrafficSchool.com

[L Keegan]

Our popular LEARNING TO DRIVE: A guide for parents booklet might be of interest to your readers http://www.drivers.com/article/218/

[Dunstan Baby Language]

This is so dangerous I don't even think teens should be allowed to talk with a bluetooth headset while driving.

[Kip]

Has the theme and the dates for 2010 been set yet? I learned about the 2009 dates well after it occured.

[serial numbers]

while driving there needs to be more strict sanctions on teens driving while talking on phones or twittering. A few great and informative schools I’ve used for ...

[Morgan Paige]

This is a great way to spread awareness of the dangers of distracted driving! Here is a link to a website that expands on promoting safety concerning teen drivers. It is filled with webisodes, PSAs, and even more concerning the subject! http://rulethal.com/

[David]

Learn more about National Teen Driver Safety Week at:

http://www.teendriverssource.org/more_pages/page/get_behind_national_teen_driver_safety_week_ntdsw_/teen

http://www.ridelikeafriend.org/