5 Ways to Keep Your Teen Driver Safe

Learning to drive can be stressful for teens and parents. Teenagers have the highest crash rate of all drivers on the road. Parents can ease their anxiety and protect their kids by getting actively involved in the learning process.

Talking frequently about driving safety, creating a driving agreement, practicing driving together and leading by example can make a huge difference in helping your teen drive safer—especially when you’re not in the car.

Here are some tips to help keep your teen driver safe:

1. Talk about driving safety early and often. Start by teaching your kids what kinds of driving behaviors are risky:
   1. Speeding: Discuss the importance of adhering to posted speed limits and knowing when to slow down for bad road or weather conditions.
   2. Distraction: A AAA study found that interacting with passengers and cell phones were the most frequent distractions for teen drivers.
   3. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs: Make sure your teen understands that impaired driving should never be an option.
   4. Poor visual scanning: Talk to your young driver about the importance of staying alert and constantly scanning the road for hazards.
2. Lay out the rules of the road. Research shows that teens report engaging in less risky behavior when there is a formal agreement to establish driving boundaries. Visit teendriving.aaa.com for a sample agreement and other information to help parents and teens navigate the learning-to-drive process.
3. Prepare with practice. Plan to log at least 100 hours of driving practice with your teen before letting them drive solo. Expose them to different situations while driving together – night and day, freeways and gravel roads, sunny days and wet weather – to increase their experience.
4. Set a good example. Show your teen that you take driving as seriously as you expect them to. Avoid speeding and distractions. Always wear your seat belt. Obey traffic laws. Never drive impaired or distracted.
5. Choose the right vehicle. A licensed teen’s first request is usually to have his or her own car. To limit your teen’s driving in the beginning, say no. Often, the answer is “no.” Research shows that teens who have a car reserved for their use are twice as likely to experience a crash as those who share a car with other family members. Many experts recommend parents wait until their teens have been licensed for at least six months before they get a hand in choosing a car for their use.

AAA encourages you to wait before getting a your teen driver their own car, so you can gauge three key factors:

• Readiness: Has your teen demonstrated safe, responsible driving behavior? Make sure you have a parent-teen driving agreement in place and your teen has been driving successfully without you before handing over the keys.
• Finances: Can you and your teen afford the cost of a car, insurance, gas and maintenance? Have you established who will pay for the car? Take time in choosing a car that's safe and that fits your family budget.
• Involvement: Before you make a purchase, evaluate whether your teen is ready to own, operate and maintain a car. Involving your teen in choosing a car can be a great learning experience regarding costs and responsibilities of vehicle ownership.
   

Some circumstances, however, may make the no-car rule impractical. If you’ve decided that your teen needs a car, here are some useful tips to help you and your teen make a car-buying decision you both can live with.

Safety

• Check safety ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
• Choose a newer mid-size sedan with the following safety features.
• Antilock braking system (ABS)
• Daytime running lights
• Electronic stability control
• Side airbags
• Adjustable/lockable head restraints
• Look for a car similar in weight, power and size to what you use for practice driving – or plan extra practice hours with the new car.

Reliability

• Look for a warranty.
• Check the vehicle history and maintenance records.
• Conduct a pre-purchase inspection.
• Avoid cars with excessive mileage.

Affordability

• Research insurance costs.
• Don’t pay more than you can afford.
• Weigh pros and cons of older vehicles.
• Factor in gas mileage.

For more information about keeping your teen driver safe behind the wheel, visit teendriving.aaa.com.