Many times people are unsure about the sources used to obtain statistics, so we thought we would use the stats from one of the country's big guns, the Center for Disease Control(CDC). The facts are sobering and we continue to ask all you parents to be tough. The facts are sobering.
Teen Drivers: Fact Sheet
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, accounting for more than one in three deaths in this age group.1 In 2008, nine teens ages 16 to 19 died every day from motor vehicle injuries. Per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely than older drivers to crash. Fortunately, teen motor vehicle crashes are preventable, and proven strategies can improve the safety of young drivers on the road.
How big is the problem?
In 2008, about 3,500 teens in the United States aged 15–19 were killed and more than 350,000 were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor-vehicle crashes.1,2
Young people ages 15-24 represent only 14% of the U.S. population. However, they account for 30% ($19 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among males and 28% ($7 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among females.3
Who is most at risk?
The risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16- to 19-year-olds than among any other age group. In fact, per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely than older drivers to crash.4
Among teen drivers, those at especially high risk for motor vehicle crashes are:
•Males: In 2006, the motor vehicle death rate for male drivers and passengers ages 15 to 19 was almost two times that of their female counterparts.1
•Teens driving with teen passengers: The presence of teen passengers increases the crash risk of unsupervised teen drivers. This risk increases with the number of teen passengers.5
•Newly licensed teens: Crash risk is particularly high during the first year that teenagers are eligible to drive.4
What factors put teen drivers at risk?
•Teens are more likely than older drivers to underestimate dangerous situations or not be able to recognize hazardous situations.6
•Teens are more likely than older drivers to speed and allow shorter headways (the distance from the front of one vehicle to the front of the next). The presence of male teenage passengers increases the likelihood of this risky driving behavior.7
•Among male drivers between 15 and 20 years of age who were involved in fatal crashes in 2005, 37% were speeding at the time of the crash and 26% had been drinking.8,9
•Compared with other age groups, teens have the lowest rate of seat belt use. In 2005, 10% of high school students reported they rarely or never wear seat belts when riding with someone else.10
•Male high school students (12.5%) were more likely than female students (7.8%) to rarely or never wear seat belts.10
•African-American students (12%) and Hispanic students (13%) were more likely than white students (10.1%) to rarely or never wear seat belts.10
•At all levels of blood alcohol concentration (BAC), the risk of involvement in a motor vehicle crash is greater for teens than for older drivers.10
•In 2008, 25% of drivers ages 15 to 20 who died in motor vehicle crashes had a BAC of 0.08 g/dl or higher.10
•In a national survey conducted in 2007, nearly three out of ten teens reported that, within the previous month, they had ridden with a driver who had been drinking alcohol. One in ten reported having driven after drinking alcohol within the same one-month period.10
•In 2008, nearly three out of every four teen drivers killed in motor vehicle crashes after drinking and driving were not wearing a seat belt.10
•In 2008, half of teen deaths from motor vehicle crashes occurred between 3 p.m. and midnight and 56% occurred on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.10
How can deaths and injuries resulting from crashes involving teen drivers be prevented?
There are proven methods to helping teens become safer drivers. Research suggests that the most comprehensive graduated drivers licensing (GDL) programs are associated with reductions of 38% and 40% in fatal and injury crashes, respectively, among 16-year-old drivers.1
Graduated driver licensing (GDL) systems are designed to delay full licensure while allowing teens to get their initial driving experience under low-risk conditions. For more information about GDL systems, see Teens Behind the Wheel: Graduated Drivers Licensing.
When parents know their state’s GDL laws, they can help enforce the laws and, in effect, help keep their teen drivers safe.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Teen drivers need tough love, be a parent, not a pal!
For those of us who have young drivers in the household, this article is compelling and well worth reading. We have all heard much of what Ms. Ziegler is conveying in her article, but are we doing the hard part? Are we putting it into practice?
By Suzanne Ziegler
Minneapolis Star Tribune
The list of advice for parents of teen drivers is long. Have a firm stance against alcohol, always know the other kids they're out with, don't let them drive with a car full of teens, have firm rules and expectations with consequences if they're broken, be a good role model.
But experts say it comes down to hands-on, tough parenting and fighting off a desire to want to be your teen's friend.
"Too often, parents want to give away their responsibility as parents to the schools," said Bruce Novak, superintendent of the Cambridge-Isanti School District in Minnesota, where three high school students died and one was injured in a weekend crash that killed three others. "We're supposed to take care of all those issues and concerns that they're maybe uncomfortable with because they want to be the friend of their child. But our children need parents to guide them directly."
Parents, not pals
Novak said if teens aren't supposed to be out after 10 p.m., the parents should say, "'No, you're not supposed to be out.' And they can throw their little hissy fit and pout and go to their room and be mad. At what point in time do parents finally say: 'I'm going to be the parent. I'm the responsible one'"?
Bill Doherty, a professor of family social science at the University of Minnesota, said parents have become more laid-back, even indulgent. But this is not the time for "wishy-washy" parenting.
"But what you'll hear from some parents is that kids are kids. You can't police them, and you want to keep open lines of communication and blah-blah. The thing is, you have to have as firm a policy as you can have against alcohol use, against your child driving with other teens at night," said Doherty. "Know who their friends are and know if their friends drink and monitor, monitor, monitor."
Like Novak, Doherty, a parenting expert, dismisses the idea that the best parent is a best friend.
"Many parents want to be buddies with their kids and don't want to come down too hard on them," he said. "And many parents have this idea, 'Well, the kids are going to use alcohol anyway, so why be the heavy, why talk about it that much?' What we know from the research is that teens who believe their parents are firmly against them drinking are less apt to drink. Our kids carry us in their brain, and that's why (you need) a firm hand, that 'you're too young to drink and it's not acceptable to me as your parent that you drink at all, let alone drink and drive.' "
Instill values, stay vigilant
Parents also have to realize that just because their son or daughter is a reasonable, responsible young adult doesn't mean their teen is that way around other teens.
"This is what parents need to know: Whatever maturity level your teenager shows alone, you cut it in half if there are other teens in the car," he said. "The more teens present, add alcohol and you get the maturity level of a 6-year-old."
Society is still turning over keys to multi-ton vehicles to young adults whose brains aren't fully mature until they're 25. So what are parents to do? Besides knowing who they're with and what they're doing, instill their values in their teens.
"You can't fully control them, but you can influence them," Doherty said. "We can't fully protect them, but we can reduce the odds that they'll be in that situation. That's what we're talking about."
Gordy Pehrson, youth alcohol and driving coordinator at the Office of Traffic Safety, agreed that teens, by their very nature, feel invincible and throw caution to the wind. Even when they're learning about driving laws, he said, it becomes just "noise" to them after a while.
"Teens know it's wrong to drink and drive, they know it's wrong to speed, they know it's wrong to not wear their seat belt — but they do it anyway," he said. "So I can't emphasize enough the importance of parents, their roles in safe driving with their teens. We can't legislate it, we can't force it down people's throats."
According to Novak, schools have taken on a growing role when it comes to drug and alcohol awareness and even seat belt safety, but he was quick to add schools can't do it all.
"How much more can we do without being there with the child every minute of every day? For me, it is parent responsibility," he said.
Parents should know that they'll need to bite the bullet, said Pehrson. "Kids say that they hate you. It's really tough to make it through those years."
Read more: http://www.kansas.com/2010/05/13/1311363/teen-drivers-need-tough-love-not.html#ixzz0nqMbDPAT
By Suzanne Ziegler
Minneapolis Star Tribune
The list of advice for parents of teen drivers is long. Have a firm stance against alcohol, always know the other kids they're out with, don't let them drive with a car full of teens, have firm rules and expectations with consequences if they're broken, be a good role model.
But experts say it comes down to hands-on, tough parenting and fighting off a desire to want to be your teen's friend.
"Too often, parents want to give away their responsibility as parents to the schools," said Bruce Novak, superintendent of the Cambridge-Isanti School District in Minnesota, where three high school students died and one was injured in a weekend crash that killed three others. "We're supposed to take care of all those issues and concerns that they're maybe uncomfortable with because they want to be the friend of their child. But our children need parents to guide them directly."
Parents, not pals
Novak said if teens aren't supposed to be out after 10 p.m., the parents should say, "'No, you're not supposed to be out.' And they can throw their little hissy fit and pout and go to their room and be mad. At what point in time do parents finally say: 'I'm going to be the parent. I'm the responsible one'"?
Bill Doherty, a professor of family social science at the University of Minnesota, said parents have become more laid-back, even indulgent. But this is not the time for "wishy-washy" parenting.
"But what you'll hear from some parents is that kids are kids. You can't police them, and you want to keep open lines of communication and blah-blah. The thing is, you have to have as firm a policy as you can have against alcohol use, against your child driving with other teens at night," said Doherty. "Know who their friends are and know if their friends drink and monitor, monitor, monitor."
Like Novak, Doherty, a parenting expert, dismisses the idea that the best parent is a best friend.
"Many parents want to be buddies with their kids and don't want to come down too hard on them," he said. "And many parents have this idea, 'Well, the kids are going to use alcohol anyway, so why be the heavy, why talk about it that much?' What we know from the research is that teens who believe their parents are firmly against them drinking are less apt to drink. Our kids carry us in their brain, and that's why (you need) a firm hand, that 'you're too young to drink and it's not acceptable to me as your parent that you drink at all, let alone drink and drive.' "
Instill values, stay vigilant
Parents also have to realize that just because their son or daughter is a reasonable, responsible young adult doesn't mean their teen is that way around other teens.
"This is what parents need to know: Whatever maturity level your teenager shows alone, you cut it in half if there are other teens in the car," he said. "The more teens present, add alcohol and you get the maturity level of a 6-year-old."
Society is still turning over keys to multi-ton vehicles to young adults whose brains aren't fully mature until they're 25. So what are parents to do? Besides knowing who they're with and what they're doing, instill their values in their teens.
"You can't fully control them, but you can influence them," Doherty said. "We can't fully protect them, but we can reduce the odds that they'll be in that situation. That's what we're talking about."
Gordy Pehrson, youth alcohol and driving coordinator at the Office of Traffic Safety, agreed that teens, by their very nature, feel invincible and throw caution to the wind. Even when they're learning about driving laws, he said, it becomes just "noise" to them after a while.
"Teens know it's wrong to drink and drive, they know it's wrong to speed, they know it's wrong to not wear their seat belt — but they do it anyway," he said. "So I can't emphasize enough the importance of parents, their roles in safe driving with their teens. We can't legislate it, we can't force it down people's throats."
According to Novak, schools have taken on a growing role when it comes to drug and alcohol awareness and even seat belt safety, but he was quick to add schools can't do it all.
"How much more can we do without being there with the child every minute of every day? For me, it is parent responsibility," he said.
Parents should know that they'll need to bite the bullet, said Pehrson. "Kids say that they hate you. It's really tough to make it through those years."
Read more: http://www.kansas.com/2010/05/13/1311363/teen-drivers-need-tough-love-not.html#ixzz0nqMbDPAT
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Tattle tale technology for Teen drivers, coming soon!
Sitting atop the dashboard, she speaks in the same melodic, robotic voice as a GPS.
But this device tattles.
"Reduce speed now," she says, her screen turning red. "Text message will be sent if speeding continues."
It's only a demonstration, but soon, technology developed at the University of Minnesota could keep an electronic eye on teen drivers.
If they speed? Mom and Dad get a text. Don't fasten their seat belts? Car won't shift into drive. Fill their car with friends? Parents find out within seconds.
The researchers believe that technology is one key to reining in rogue drivers and preventing the kinds of crashes that killed 11 people last weekend.
"We'd like to change teens' behavior before they become the next statistics," said Max Donath, director of the U's Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute.
Devices exist that monitor speed or seat belts or cell phone use, but the U's technology -- called the Teen Driver Support System -- goes well beyond that.
"It is the first holistic system to be built and tested by any university or private company," said Michael Manser, director of the institute's HumanFIRST Program.
This month, researchers will test-drive their latest model on parents and teens in Washington and Dakota counties, which have the state's biggest numbers of teen driver fatalities.
"We want to make sure it's usable," Manser said. For example: "How often do parents really want to get text messages?"
Based on that feedback, the U will tweak the technology and later recruit families to use it for a few months. They hope that eventually, the technology will come with the car -- or be offered as a low-cost add-on.
Smart phones and keys
The first prototype, developed in 2006 with some funding from the state and federal departments of transportation, was a complicated, clunky, computer-based device that had to be installed in a car.
But this device tattles.
"Reduce speed now," she says, her screen turning red. "Text message will be sent if speeding continues."
It's only a demonstration, but soon, technology developed at the University of Minnesota could keep an electronic eye on teen drivers.
If they speed? Mom and Dad get a text. Don't fasten their seat belts? Car won't shift into drive. Fill their car with friends? Parents find out within seconds.
The researchers believe that technology is one key to reining in rogue drivers and preventing the kinds of crashes that killed 11 people last weekend.
"We'd like to change teens' behavior before they become the next statistics," said Max Donath, director of the U's Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute.
Devices exist that monitor speed or seat belts or cell phone use, but the U's technology -- called the Teen Driver Support System -- goes well beyond that.
"It is the first holistic system to be built and tested by any university or private company," said Michael Manser, director of the institute's HumanFIRST Program.
This month, researchers will test-drive their latest model on parents and teens in Washington and Dakota counties, which have the state's biggest numbers of teen driver fatalities.
"We want to make sure it's usable," Manser said. For example: "How often do parents really want to get text messages?"
Based on that feedback, the U will tweak the technology and later recruit families to use it for a few months. They hope that eventually, the technology will come with the car -- or be offered as a low-cost add-on.
Smart phones and keys
The first prototype, developed in 2006 with some funding from the state and federal departments of transportation, was a complicated, clunky, computer-based device that had to be installed in a car.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Teen Drivers Graduated Drivers License Laws, Go National
Nationwide Insurance Supports Senator’s Push for STANDUP Act to Promote Teen Driver Safety
Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company today stated its support for the STANDUP Act which, if passed, would establish minimum requirements for state Graduated Driver’s License (GDL) laws that emphasize teen driver safety : by gradually introducing new teen drivers to the responsibility and skills involved in operating a motor vehicle.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) today introduced the The Safe
Teen and Novice Driver Uniform Protection (STANDUP) Act, which establishes minimum requirements for state GDL laws, promotes action with incentive grant funds, and imposes a sanction on states who fail to meet those requirements after three years.
Auto accidents are one of the leading causes of death among American teenagers. Since 1999, more than 80,000 people in the United States were killed in crashes involving teen drivers. Nationwide believes that to reduce teen crashes and fatalities we need stronger GDL laws, better public awareness of teen driving issues, and greater involvement of parents in teaching and coaching new teen drivers and using teen safe driving tips : .
In conjunction with the National Safety Council, Nationwide sponsored a national symposium on GDLs where research was released clearly showing the number of teen driver-related-crashes were reduced in states with strong GDL laws.
“Unfortunately, GDL laws vary widely by state and there are no states today that have all the model GDL components that research shows reduces teen crashes and fatalities,” said Bill Windsor, Nationwide’s Consumer Safety Officer. “We believe the STANDUP Act will not only help to prevent teen crashes and reduce crash-related injuries, but more importantly, save lives.”
As a member of the Saferoads4teens Coalition, an alliance representing consumer, health, safety, insurance, and medical organizations, Nationwide supports GDL laws as an integral part of the solution.
“Nationwide believes all of us need to do a better job of raising awareness of the issue so that parents get more involved in teaching and coaching new teen drivers,” Windsor added.
Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company today stated its support for the STANDUP Act which, if passed, would establish minimum requirements for state Graduated Driver’s License (GDL) laws that emphasize teen driver safety : by gradually introducing new teen drivers to the responsibility and skills involved in operating a motor vehicle.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) today introduced the The Safe
Teen and Novice Driver Uniform Protection (STANDUP) Act, which establishes minimum requirements for state GDL laws, promotes action with incentive grant funds, and imposes a sanction on states who fail to meet those requirements after three years.
Auto accidents are one of the leading causes of death among American teenagers. Since 1999, more than 80,000 people in the United States were killed in crashes involving teen drivers. Nationwide believes that to reduce teen crashes and fatalities we need stronger GDL laws, better public awareness of teen driving issues, and greater involvement of parents in teaching and coaching new teen drivers and using teen safe driving tips : .
In conjunction with the National Safety Council, Nationwide sponsored a national symposium on GDLs where research was released clearly showing the number of teen driver-related-crashes were reduced in states with strong GDL laws.
“Unfortunately, GDL laws vary widely by state and there are no states today that have all the model GDL components that research shows reduces teen crashes and fatalities,” said Bill Windsor, Nationwide’s Consumer Safety Officer. “We believe the STANDUP Act will not only help to prevent teen crashes and reduce crash-related injuries, but more importantly, save lives.”
As a member of the Saferoads4teens Coalition, an alliance representing consumer, health, safety, insurance, and medical organizations, Nationwide supports GDL laws as an integral part of the solution.
“Nationwide believes all of us need to do a better job of raising awareness of the issue so that parents get more involved in teaching and coaching new teen drivers,” Windsor added.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Teenagers and Road Rage, Parents be aware and a good example!
Teenagers are impressed by flashy cars, speed & drivers who appear to own the road. Parents prone to road rage set a dangerous example for impressionable young motorists.
Teenagers can't wait to drive – one of the first steps to becoming independent adults. Classroom and online driving courses cover all aspects of driving, including driver courtesy, but teens don't always connect what they've learned in the classroom to what's on the road. At a very early age, kids learn a lot about driving from the examples they see in real life. Parents who curse and scream at other drivers, and who drive aggressively, are teaching teens that it's okay to get angry behind the wheel.
How Does Road Rage Start?
Teens old enough to operate a motor vehicle are still immature and have practically no solo driving experience. Hormones and brain development play a part in how teens react to emotional stimuli. Teens lack confidence in their ability and may fear having an accident or getting killed. A close call or coping with another motorist's blatant discourtesy causes sudden and overwhelming stress. The reaction is aggression toward the offending driver.
Video games are not all child's play and many are far from educational. The worst driving games have nothing to do with skill; motorists have the option to kill pedestrians, get involved in accidents, and damage property. Tragically, the glorified games featuring blood and gore can easily influence kids, but the number of teen fatalities from real life traffic accidents has very little impact on young drivers.
Games aren't the only bad influence on teenagers just starting to drive. For years, movies, TV shows, commercials, magazines and social expectations have been teaching kids that self worth is measured by a car's style and speed.
Parents begin teaching life skills from the moment a child is born. Every time a child or young teen gets into the family vehicle with a parent, he or she learns something about driver courtesy and a motorist's attitude behind the wheel. Whether parents want to admit it or not, many have taught their teenagers the finer points of physical and verbal road rage.
Signs a Teen May be Prone to Road Rage
According to the American Automobile Association (AAA) statistics cited on the page, "Aggressive Driving: Three Studies" (Report by Louis Mizell, Inc., for the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 2009), "An average of at least 1,500 men, women, and children are injured or killed each year in the United States as a result of 'aggressive driving.'"
How can a parent tell if a teen might have a tendency toward road rage? First of all, don't wait until a young person is old enough to get a driving learner's permit to begin analyzing his or her driving character.
•When a teen is a passenger, does he (or she) make aggressive comments or display an angry attitude toward a motorist that's made a mistake?
•Is the teen short-tempered, rude, easily angered, or is he quick to criticize other people?
•Does the teen frequently display extreme emotional tendencies at home, such as yelling and screaming?
•Does he take responsibility for his actions at home, at school, and at work?
•What kind of behavior does the teen (and other young family members) see when a parent drives?
•Does the teen look or act thrilled when a parent or other adult driver tries to "get even" or yells obscenities at an offending motorist?
•Does the teen "show off" at home in front of his friends or try to act macho?
•Is the teen behind the wheel obsessed with speed or slow traffic, and does he take too many chances?
How a Parent Can Stop Teen Road Rage
Teens are influenced by other adults as well as peers who may drive recklessly – or have a reckless attitude about driving. What can parents do when a teen driver shows road rage?
1.Take away the keys. This is not a drastic measure, but may very well be a lifesaving step.
2.When everyone is calm, discuss with the teen his aggressive behavior and improvements that will have to be made before the keys can be returned. Be firm.
3.Ride with the teen until completely convinced the teen's behavior has improved.
4.Seek professional help for teen anger if necessary.
5.Ask other parents, teachers, and any adult who knows the teen to be observant and report any temper outbursts or driving incidences that might indicate an anger problem.
6.Don't make the mistake of thinking teen driver aggression is "only a phase" or "he'll grow out of it".
Parents are responsible for setting good examples for kids of any age. Teenagers learning to drive may demonstrate the same good or bad behaviors as a parent when behind the wheel of a car.
A parent can look for clues that a teen may be too aggressive to drive safely. Parents who suspect a teen is guilty of road rage are strongly urged to take action before someone gets hurt. Taking away the car keys and/or seeking professional help for teen anger is not going too far, but is in fact acting responsibly. Allowing a teen to continue his aggression toward other drivers could ultimately lead to tragedy.
Teenagers can't wait to drive – one of the first steps to becoming independent adults. Classroom and online driving courses cover all aspects of driving, including driver courtesy, but teens don't always connect what they've learned in the classroom to what's on the road. At a very early age, kids learn a lot about driving from the examples they see in real life. Parents who curse and scream at other drivers, and who drive aggressively, are teaching teens that it's okay to get angry behind the wheel.
How Does Road Rage Start?
Teens old enough to operate a motor vehicle are still immature and have practically no solo driving experience. Hormones and brain development play a part in how teens react to emotional stimuli. Teens lack confidence in their ability and may fear having an accident or getting killed. A close call or coping with another motorist's blatant discourtesy causes sudden and overwhelming stress. The reaction is aggression toward the offending driver.
Video games are not all child's play and many are far from educational. The worst driving games have nothing to do with skill; motorists have the option to kill pedestrians, get involved in accidents, and damage property. Tragically, the glorified games featuring blood and gore can easily influence kids, but the number of teen fatalities from real life traffic accidents has very little impact on young drivers.
Games aren't the only bad influence on teenagers just starting to drive. For years, movies, TV shows, commercials, magazines and social expectations have been teaching kids that self worth is measured by a car's style and speed.
Parents begin teaching life skills from the moment a child is born. Every time a child or young teen gets into the family vehicle with a parent, he or she learns something about driver courtesy and a motorist's attitude behind the wheel. Whether parents want to admit it or not, many have taught their teenagers the finer points of physical and verbal road rage.
Signs a Teen May be Prone to Road Rage
According to the American Automobile Association (AAA) statistics cited on the page, "Aggressive Driving: Three Studies" (Report by Louis Mizell, Inc., for the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 2009), "An average of at least 1,500 men, women, and children are injured or killed each year in the United States as a result of 'aggressive driving.'"
How can a parent tell if a teen might have a tendency toward road rage? First of all, don't wait until a young person is old enough to get a driving learner's permit to begin analyzing his or her driving character.
•When a teen is a passenger, does he (or she) make aggressive comments or display an angry attitude toward a motorist that's made a mistake?
•Is the teen short-tempered, rude, easily angered, or is he quick to criticize other people?
•Does the teen frequently display extreme emotional tendencies at home, such as yelling and screaming?
•Does he take responsibility for his actions at home, at school, and at work?
•What kind of behavior does the teen (and other young family members) see when a parent drives?
•Does the teen look or act thrilled when a parent or other adult driver tries to "get even" or yells obscenities at an offending motorist?
•Does the teen "show off" at home in front of his friends or try to act macho?
•Is the teen behind the wheel obsessed with speed or slow traffic, and does he take too many chances?
How a Parent Can Stop Teen Road Rage
Teens are influenced by other adults as well as peers who may drive recklessly – or have a reckless attitude about driving. What can parents do when a teen driver shows road rage?
1.Take away the keys. This is not a drastic measure, but may very well be a lifesaving step.
2.When everyone is calm, discuss with the teen his aggressive behavior and improvements that will have to be made before the keys can be returned. Be firm.
3.Ride with the teen until completely convinced the teen's behavior has improved.
4.Seek professional help for teen anger if necessary.
5.Ask other parents, teachers, and any adult who knows the teen to be observant and report any temper outbursts or driving incidences that might indicate an anger problem.
6.Don't make the mistake of thinking teen driver aggression is "only a phase" or "he'll grow out of it".
Parents are responsible for setting good examples for kids of any age. Teenagers learning to drive may demonstrate the same good or bad behaviors as a parent when behind the wheel of a car.
A parent can look for clues that a teen may be too aggressive to drive safely. Parents who suspect a teen is guilty of road rage are strongly urged to take action before someone gets hurt. Taking away the car keys and/or seeking professional help for teen anger is not going too far, but is in fact acting responsibly. Allowing a teen to continue his aggression toward other drivers could ultimately lead to tragedy.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Pemco Once again leads the way with Teen Driver Info!
Once again Pemco takes the lead in keeping our focus on keeping teen drivers safe! We at Sav-on feel Pemco is a leader in our area for keeping us informed with the latest information.
SEATTLE,April 13/PRNewswire/ -- A recent poll by PEMCO Insurance, the state's largest local insurance company, reveals that Washington drivers want stricter penalties for teen drivers who violate Washington's intermediate license law.
The poll, taken at the end of 2009, shows that 51 percent of licensed drivers believe that intermediate-license violations should be strengthened from a secondary to a primary offense. As a primary offense, the law would allow police to issue tickets to teens solely for violating the intermediate license law's passenger or curfew restrictions.
Buzz The 2001 law makes it illegal for newly licensed teen drivers to drive with passengers under 20 years old who are not immediate family members, and for those teens to drive unaccompanied between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. Intermediate drivers must abide by these restrictions during the first six months of having a driver license.
"Sixteen and 17-year-olds in particular are inexperienced drivers, and any sort of distraction, whether it's from a cell phone or a friend in the front seat, increases the risk of a crash," said Jon Osterberg, PEMCO spokesperson. "The intermediate license law helps teens gain skill and experience in a safe setting."
PEMCO also asked drivers if intermediate license laws are enforced with the teen drivers in their own households. Of those with teenage drivers, 84 percent of parents said they enforce the state's laws with their teens. Additionally, three out of four parents (76 percent) enforce other driving-privilege rules aside from what the law requires.
Washington's intermediate license law also requires parents to accompany their teens for 50 hours of practice driving, including 10 hours at night, before teens can get their driver license.
SEATTLE,April 13/PRNewswire/ -- A recent poll by PEMCO Insurance, the state's largest local insurance company, reveals that Washington drivers want stricter penalties for teen drivers who violate Washington's intermediate license law.
The poll, taken at the end of 2009, shows that 51 percent of licensed drivers believe that intermediate-license violations should be strengthened from a secondary to a primary offense. As a primary offense, the law would allow police to issue tickets to teens solely for violating the intermediate license law's passenger or curfew restrictions.
Buzz The 2001 law makes it illegal for newly licensed teen drivers to drive with passengers under 20 years old who are not immediate family members, and for those teens to drive unaccompanied between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. Intermediate drivers must abide by these restrictions during the first six months of having a driver license.
"Sixteen and 17-year-olds in particular are inexperienced drivers, and any sort of distraction, whether it's from a cell phone or a friend in the front seat, increases the risk of a crash," said Jon Osterberg, PEMCO spokesperson. "The intermediate license law helps teens gain skill and experience in a safe setting."
PEMCO also asked drivers if intermediate license laws are enforced with the teen drivers in their own households. Of those with teenage drivers, 84 percent of parents said they enforce the state's laws with their teens. Additionally, three out of four parents (76 percent) enforce other driving-privilege rules aside from what the law requires.
Washington's intermediate license law also requires parents to accompany their teens for 50 hours of practice driving, including 10 hours at night, before teens can get their driver license.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Best/Worst States rankings for Teen Driving safety
The report, published by the online-only U.S. News & World Report and released Thursday with help from Allstate Insurance, gave Minnesota high marks for seat-belt and drunken-driving enforcement, as well as an "excellent" rating for laws addressing distracted driving. However, it also noted that the state does not require motorcycle riders to wear helmets.
Joining Minnesota in the top 10, in order: the District of Columbia, California, Colorado, Maryland, Illinois, New Jersey, Oregon, Utah and Washington state.
As for other Upper Midwest states, Wisconsin was 41st, Iowa 49th, North Dakota 50th and South Dakota 51st.
The magazine said that South Dakota allows teenagers to drive at 14 and "has some of the nation's more lax laws regarding driving while intoxicated or distracted."
"The rankings don't adequately reflect highway safety in South Dakota,'' says James Carpenter, director of the state Office of Highway Safety.
South Dakota's laws aren't necessarily as weak as the rankings would suggest, he said. "If you are arrested in South Dakota for a DUI, you give blood,'' Carpenter said. "We're trying to get these people off the road before they get to the point of being in a fatal car crash.'' That's a tougher standard than many states have for blood draws in the event of highway crashes, he said.
South Dakota does issue driver licenses at age 14, but it has a graduated system that includes strict supervision of the young driver, with increasing freedom as the teen-ager demonstrates driving skill and judgment.
The full state rankings, including the methodology, are available at www.usnews.com/teendrivers. In producing the rankings, researchers reviewed comprehensive government statistics on teen driving as well as a range of factors specifically affecting young drivers.
"Car crashes are the leading cause of death among teens today," said U.S. News editor Brian Kelly. "By compiling the most critical information on driving safety, [the ranking] can raise awareness among families and help them address safety concerns with their teenage drivers."
Joining Minnesota in the top 10, in order: the District of Columbia, California, Colorado, Maryland, Illinois, New Jersey, Oregon, Utah and Washington state.
As for other Upper Midwest states, Wisconsin was 41st, Iowa 49th, North Dakota 50th and South Dakota 51st.
The magazine said that South Dakota allows teenagers to drive at 14 and "has some of the nation's more lax laws regarding driving while intoxicated or distracted."
"The rankings don't adequately reflect highway safety in South Dakota,'' says James Carpenter, director of the state Office of Highway Safety.
South Dakota's laws aren't necessarily as weak as the rankings would suggest, he said. "If you are arrested in South Dakota for a DUI, you give blood,'' Carpenter said. "We're trying to get these people off the road before they get to the point of being in a fatal car crash.'' That's a tougher standard than many states have for blood draws in the event of highway crashes, he said.
South Dakota does issue driver licenses at age 14, but it has a graduated system that includes strict supervision of the young driver, with increasing freedom as the teen-ager demonstrates driving skill and judgment.
The full state rankings, including the methodology, are available at www.usnews.com/teendrivers. In producing the rankings, researchers reviewed comprehensive government statistics on teen driving as well as a range of factors specifically affecting young drivers.
"Car crashes are the leading cause of death among teens today," said U.S. News editor Brian Kelly. "By compiling the most critical information on driving safety, [the ranking] can raise awareness among families and help them address safety concerns with their teenage drivers."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
