Thursday, April 23, 2009

Distractions and the Common Teen Driver

It's not just alcohol and the drugs that increase the fatality risks for teen drivers, in fact probably a far more common risk is driving distractions.

Distractions for anyone, even experienced drivers, can be an extremely dangerous thing. But then you add inexperience to the mix and you have a recipe for disaster.

Let's look at some of the most deadly and prevalent distractions facing teen drivers today. First, according to a 2008 statistic 87% of the 6,000 teen drivers that die every year is because of driving with distractions. That pretty much says it all!

What Are The Distractions?
Well a major one is texting and cell phone usage. There are new laws in the State of Washington that ban usage of cell phones while operating a motor vehicle but that alone won't always deter teens from trying to read that ever so important text message.

Another distraction is eating and drinking, trying to pass around a box of cookies or getting a sip of a soda can be as dangerous a distraction as texting.

And other concerns for teen drivers is usage of the radio or CD player in the car, putting on makeup, or flirting with that cute guy or gal walking on the sidewalk. We once heard of a car full of “cute guys” getting the attention of a girl in the vehicle traveling next to them on a major interstate. The distraction was enough to cause an accident but believe it or not, they drove closer and closer to pass a cell phone to the female driver so she could type in her number. Then, they inched closer again (traveling at 60 miles per hour, mind you) so she could pass the phone back. Surprisingly, no one got hurt and no accidents were caused. But it’s just this type of reckless decision making that make teens such dangerous drivers!

Parents are dealing with protecting their young teen drivers by many methods but primarily we are suggesting that parents contact their insurance company for pointers on how to guide their children into becoming safe and responsible drivers. Many companies offer or can refer you to a company that offers GPS tracking devices (we offer Teensurance through Safeco—learn more at www.teensurance.com.) The GPS works by alerting the parent by e-mail, voice delivery, or text to let them know if the teen driver has broken any of the set “agreements” of the parent/teen contract. The agreements include curfew, areas they’re not allowed to drive in, and speed. The GPS is installed in the dash, professionally, and then is updated in real time on a website where parents can log in with a designated username and password.

There are other options beside the GPS but we strongly suggest that you are proactive with your teen driver. Inquire about pertinent literature, take advantage of any safety courses with driving instructors or your insurance company, and most of all, stay in touch and in constant dialog with your teen drivers for safety's sake. It could mean their life.



More questions regarding Teensurance through Safeco? You can e-mail us at info@sav-on.com. We also give discounts.

No comments: