Time for a Talk About Driver Safety. Walk the Talk on Driver Safety.
National Teen Driver Safety Week has been conducted since 2007 after being established by Congress based on a study released by CDC Injury Center. The study states that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens. In 2016, 2,433 teens in the United States ages 16–19 were killed and 292,742 were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor vehicle crashes. That means that six teenagers died every day due to motor vehicle crashes and hundreds more were injured. Young people ages 15-19 represented 6.5% of the U.S. population. However, they accounted for an estimated $13.6 billion (8.4%) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries.
Beyond Statistics, What Can Parents Do for Teen Driver Safety?
National Teen Driver Safety Week is a good reminder for parents to talk to our teens about the rules they need follow in order to stay safe behind the wheel. If you have not done this before, here’s a few rules and tips for discussions you can have with your teen driver.
- Seat Belt Rule: According to CDC, compared with other age groups, teens have among the lowest rates of seat belt use. In 2017, only 59% of high school students reported they always wear seat belts when riding as passengers. This is a must have rule on the list.
- Alcohol and drug-impaired driving: We must continuously discuss and share information on the effects of driving under influence. CDC shares that 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.
- Distracted and drowsy driving. Read our previous blog on various sources of distracted driving and how we can avoid distracted driving.
- Speeding: It can be thrilling for the new driver to speed. However, we must continue to talk to the kids about
- Other Questions we can address: When can the car be used? Who will pay for gas and insurance?
The biggest change you as a parent can make is to: Walk the Talk. Be an example for your teen. They have been watching you since they were in their carseats. Be a driver you want your kid to grow up to be.
New Teen Driver Safety: You Are Responsible for Your Safety
Make sure you take enough behind the wheel lessons from a professional instructor. You should feel confident to take the car out on your own. You should also be prepared and know how to manage your car during night drives, driving in the rain and driving in difficult conditions. Choose a driving school which prepares you for the road ahead.
Be sure of the company you keep. In the 2017 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 16.5% of high school students reported that, within the previous month, they had ridden with a driver who had been drinking alcohol. Among students who drove, 5.5% reported having driven after drinking alcohol within the same one-month period. While this may be cool, but we all know that the fun is not worth the risk.
As new drivers, you often find yourself a little unsure and fearful towards driving. It is normal for you to feel little nervous to get behind the wheel. Talk to your parents or instructors about your fears. Here’s one of our blogs on how to overcome your fears of driving.
Driver Safety: Prepare for the Road Ahead
We at All Star Driver Education are dedicated to keep America’s road safe. We have taught over 200,000+ students to anticipate, avoid and survive the hazards on the road. We have been offering online and classroom driven courses along with behind the wheel training for over 50 years.
All Star Driver Education commits to fully support to the National Teen Driver Safety Week.
