Teen Driver Safety Week Emphasizes Active Involvement of Parents in Young Drivers' Safety Matters
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The National Road Safety Foundation (NRSF) has outlined several effective strategies for parents to discuss and teach safe driving habits to their teenagers. These strategies aim to foster open communication, set clear expectations, and model responsible driving behavior.
Key strategies include:
- Set clear rules and expectations: Parents should have ongoing conversations with their teenagers about safe driving practices, such as no texting while driving, no speeding, obeying curfews, not driving under the influence, and always wearing seat belts. Creating a safety agreement that outlines these rules and the consequences of unsafe driving can help reinforce responsible choices [3][4].
- Model safe driving behavior: Parents should consistently demonstrate responsible driving habits, as teens learn by watching their parents. This includes buckling up, avoiding distractions such as phone use while driving, obeying speed limits, and not driving impaired [2][4].
- Encourage open communication and trust: Letting teenagers know they can call parents anytime if they feel unsafe or need a ride fosters a sense of trust and encourages open discussion about potential distractions and how to avoid them. Encouraging proactive communication can help prevent unsafe situations [1][3].
- Monitor and provide feedback: Using available technology—such as apps or in-car monitoring tools—to track a teen's driving behavior can help identify areas for improvement and provide feedback. Regular feedback helps reinforce safe driving habits [3].
- Discuss the risks specific to teen drivers: Talking about the increased dangers during the "100 Deadliest Days" (summer months) due to more driving time, distractions from peers, and night driving helps teenagers understand why these risks exist and motivates safer choices [4].
- Promote participation in driving safety pledges: The NRSF encourages parents and teens to take a safety pledge together, committing to no speeding, no texting, no distractions, and no drinking and driving. This serves as a conversation starter and commitment to safe driving [2].
By implementing these strategies, parents can empower themselves to be active partners in teaching their teenagers responsible driving habits that could reduce accidents and save lives [2][3][4].
It's important to note that motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for teens in the United States [5]. Distracted driving, speeding, and impaired driving are significant factors in teen crashes, with 7% of teen drivers involved in fatal crashes reported as distracted, and nearly one-third (32%) of all teen drivers involved in fatal crashes speeding at the time of the crash [1].
The NRSF also emphasizes the importance of seat belt use, as more than half (51%) of the teen drivers who died in crashes in 2021 were unbuckled [6]. Furthermore, 19% of teen passenger vehicle drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2021 had alcohol in their system, and marijuana also affects a driver's ability to react to their surroundings [7].
The Foundation's programs address distracted driving, speed and aggression, impaired driving, drowsy driving, driver proficiency, and pedestrian safety. They also work with key youth advocacy groups and sponsor contests to engage teens in promoting safe driving to their peers and in their communities [8].
In 2021, 2,608 people were killed in crashes involving a teen driver, and more than 170,000 people were injured in crashes involving a teen driver [9]. These statistics underscore the need for parents to take an active role in teaching their teenagers safe driving habits.
Parents should also encourage their teens and all family members to speak up if they are in a vehicle being driven unsafely, as it can save lives [10]. National Teen Driver Safety Week, from October 20-26, is an opportunity to focus on these issues and promote safe driving habits among teenagers.
For more information and statistics on teen driving, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) website at www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/teen-driving. The NRSF also offers tips for talks with teens in its Passport to Safe Driving, available online at https://www.nrsf.org/passport-safe-driving.
The National Road Safety Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing crashes, deaths, and injuries on our nation's highways by promoting safe driving habits through greater public awareness [11].
- In addition to teaching safe driving habits, parents can prioritize family health and wellness by promoting education and self-development, such as setting rules for homework completion and encouraging personal growth activities like reading or attending workshops.
- To extend their role as educators, parents might consider discussing the importance of health-and-wellness practices with their teenagers, teaching them about the risks of poorly managed stress, unhealthy eating habits, and lack of exercise on their overall well-being.
- As advocates for their children's healthcare, parents can empower their household's health and wellness by fostering open communication about mental health issues, ensuring everyone receives regular check-ups and vaccinations, and strategizing family-health goals together, such as weekly meal planning or establishing screen time limits.
