Category — Teen Drivers

Developing safe driving skills is more difficult now than it was years ago for the parents of today’s teen drivers. From the increase in traffic on our roads to the number of electronic distractions (ie. Cell phones, GPS) in our cars today, focusing on learning good driving habits is challenging.

It is a well-known fact that the chances of a driver having a crash are greatest in their first few years of driving. The National Safety council has been promoting Graduated Driver Licensing for a number of years in hopes of reducing teen drivers’ risk of crashing. The success rate has been such that many states now use a graduated licensing system.

What is Graduated Driver Licensing? There are three stages to graduated licensing, which is meant to progressively expose young drivers to challenges such as driving with other passengers, or driving at night. The details of each stage may vary from state to state, some ban the use of cell phones for example. To give you the basic idea, here is an example of what might be typical requirements:

First stage – The new driver must meet minimum age requirements according to their state (usually between 15 and 16 years old). After passing a written test, the driver would obtain a Learner’s Permit which would allow them to only drive with a fully licensed driver (some states add that the licensed driver must be over 21).

There are usually restrictions on driving, like only being allowed to drive during daylight for the first three months, and after that only until 10 p.m. – and always with the licensed driver in the passenger seat.

The driver must be ticket and accident free for 6 months to a year (varies according to state) before being allowed to proceed to the next phase.

Second Stage – After successfully passing the road test, the new driver would be issued an intermediate license – some places refer to it as a provisional license. This means that the driver is now free to drive by themselves, with certain restrictions. Those restrictions might be the hours of the day you are authorized to drive, for instance 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., unless a fully licensed driver accompanies you. There may be exceptions to the rule for working hours, but these details will vary according to where you live.

Again, the driver must be ticket and accident free for 12 months before being allowed to proceed to the next phase.

Third Stage – The driver would be granted a full license as long as they have met the previous requirements and are the minimum age of 18 (or age mandated by state).

This system has been proven to reduce the amount of accidents involving teen drivers by up to 40%. Florida was the first state to implement such a program back in the mid 90s and since then the majority of U.S. states have adopted a three-stage program.

If your hair hasn’t started to turn gray yet parents, the minute you hand over the car keys to your kid, it will for sure. Teaching a son or daughter to drive ranks high on any parent’s stress meter, and it only gets worse once they are behind the wheel by themselves the first year or so.

Nevertheless, it is a rite of passage for every young adult, and we as parents are now faced with the fear our parents once had. We should do everything within our power to make this new experience an informative and rewarding one for our kids and ourselves, as this is a step towards their independence.

According to the National Safety Council more than 10 young drivers between the ages of 15-20 are killed every day in crashes, and another 745 are injured. In an effort to avoid becoming one of those statistics, here are some tips to help prepare your teen to be a safe driver.

Be a good example for your teen and practice what you preach. If you have a habit of running through yellow, or worse red – now would be the time to curb that behavior. You will be sending confusing signals by doing things you tell your kid that it is not okay to do. Do you constantly go over the speed limit, follow other cars too closely, or have a case of road rage? At this time, you need to be acutely aware of your habits – look at yourself through your teen’s eyes.

Learn the rules before getting behind the wheel by visiting your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles website. Many states have online guides, or they will tell you how to get a copy of their Driver Handbook. You will also get information about how to schedule your driver’s test and what you will need to bring. Parents should go over the material with their teen in addition to them reading it on their own.

When practicing driving with your teen, try to remain calm at all times! Keep in mind that there will be mistakes and if you react by freaking out, it will do more harm than good (especially if they are startled). Start practicing in an empty parking lot until the teen becomes comfortable with handling the car. This is especially helpful when learning to drive in rain or snowy conditions. It is important to practice driving on all types of weather, not just sunny days.

Another good source for learning safe driving tactics is your insurance agent – they often have videos and booklets available. Some insurance agencies offer safe-driving courses, which result in a discounted auto insurance quote once the course has been completed.