There is a lot of innovation in car safety. However, this does not mean we can simply send our teens to a driver’s education class and hand them the keys to the car! In 2006, 5,156 teenagers ages 13-19 died in motor vehicle crashes. While this is 3 percent fewer than in 2005, this is far too many of our children lost unnecessarily.* We need to stay engaged in every aspect of our teens’ driving experience, beyond the moment they receive their full license. You may have read that smaller cars have become safer. The driver death rate for small cars has declined, but it is still significantly higher than for the safest vehicles – the largest sedans. Carefully consider the car you put your child into, especially when they have little or no experience on their own.
What’s New in Safety Features**. Look for front and side airbags. Investigate rollover ratings, one of the leading causes of death and injury for teens. Ask about electronic stability, which helps drivers maintain control and keep the car on the road. Ask about advanced frontal air bags. These use the appropriate level of power by automatically detecting the occupant’s size, severity of the crash and seatbelt use. As of September 1, 2006, all new vehicles are required to be certified to this new standard. Look for tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS). Under inflation is a leading cause of tire failure. TPMS uses a warning light to let the driver know if tires are underinflated. All new vehicles from September 1, 2007 have TPMS.
For more information on selecting a safe car for your teen: Select A Safe Car.
GPS Monitoring. There is GPS technology everywhere these days. Most of us are familiar with navigational GPS that helps get from point A to point B. And many of you use GPS tracking to monitor your teen driver. But, are you staying engaged? Don’t stop when it is installed. Review the data with your teen on a regular basis: daily at the beginning, at least weekly thereafter. Use the reporting and maps of the GPS tracking system to discuss speed, where they have been, time of day and other information as it relates to your rules for their driving. More On Teen GPS Tracking Systems
Safe Teen Driving Pledge. Research confirms that parents who set rules for their teen drivers and take an active role in monitoring and managing their teen’s driving enjoy far lower accident rates than those who do not. Many states across the country recommend using a written “parent-teen” agreement or contract to establish those rules. Get your Safe Teen Driving Club free download.
Drive with your teen. They have their full license and can legally drive alone. This does not mean that they have magically become experienced drivers. Drive with them whenever you can. Whether going to an event or to the store, give them the keys and watch how they are progressing and see if they making the right judgment calls when necessary. They may need to brush up on skills. Consider honing your teen’s skills with teenSMART® Defensive Driver Training…science-based and proven to reduce crashes through safer driving. Major insurance companies offer substantial discounts for teens who pass the teenSMART® Certification — discounts that may save you far more than the cost of the teenSMART® training program. Parents Deserve A Brake is another training tool for improving driving skills. This is a user-friendly program that outlines teaching techniques and proven tips used by professional driver education instructors. It’s designed for parents who want to teach correct and safe driving techniques to their child, or reinforce the driver competencies taught during school-based or commercial driver education courses.
* http://www.iihs.org/research/fatality_facts_2006/teenagers.html
** www.safercar.gov
