CLEARFIELD – Ask any parent who has taught a teen to drive and I’ll bet that parent has sprouted a few grey hairs! Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for teens and young adults. Drivers who are 16 years old are more than 20 times as likely to have a crash as are other drivers. State and local laws, safe driving programs, and driver’s education classes all help keep teens safe on the roads. As a parent, you can also play an important role in keeping your teen driver safe.
Even before your teen gets her learner’s permit, establish and discuss house rules about driving. Remind your teen that these rules are in place because you care about her safety. If your teen complains about the rules, stand firm. You are the one who controls the car keys. Don’t hesitate to take away driving privileges if your teen breaks any rule. Resist the urge to break the house rules yourself and let your teen drive because it is too much trouble for you to drive. Instead, try to arrange for your teen to car pool.
Pennsylvania’s graduated licensing laws spread learning to drive over several stages. Each stage gives your teen more driving privileges. Teen drivers have to meet certain restrictions for at least six months in order to move to the next stage. Pennsylvania requires teens with leaner’s permits to drive 50 hours with an adult. This time is helpful to both your teen and yourself. Ask your teen to log this time and insist on the 50 hours of practice. During this time, you can see your teen improve as a driver and gain a better understanding of her driving skills. This helps to give you confidence that your teen really can drive independently.
Other suggestions for parents include requiring your teen to maintain good grades in school before she can drive. Check with your auto insurance company to see if any “good student” discounts are available. Driving requires a ton of responsibility and doing well in school is one way for your teen to show her growing responsibility. With the rising cost of gasoline, who fills the gas tank is another necessary conversation.
Set a good driving example by not using alcohol or other drugs, not speeding, always wearing your seat belt, and requiring that all passengers wear seat belts. Remind your teen how important it is to stay focused on driving, not getting distracted by excessively loud music, or using a cell phone. Our teens are very good at multi-tasking and may not be aware how much distraction these other activities provide. Driving with a carload of noisy teens is another distraction, better handled by a seasoned driver. So this privilege can be added in the coming months.
Let your teen know that driving after drinking or using other drugs will not be tolerated. Tell your teen to always call you or someone else for a ride any time she or another driver has been drinking. When you go to provide this ride, don’t lecture at this time. The next day will provide a better opportunity to discuss this incident and how to prevent future incidents.
Driving is a privilege and a big responsibility, not a right of passage for turning 16. Teen drivers, because of their age and inexperience, are at a higher risk for car accidents. Support the local driving laws and other programs aimed to better prepare your teen to drive.
Additional information is available from Andrea Bressler at awb1@psu.edu or here; and your local office of Penn State Cooperative Extension. In Clearfield, the office is located in the Multi-Service Center, or by calling 765-7878. In Brookville, the office is located at 180 Main Street, or by calling 849-7361. And in Ridgway, the office is located in the Courthouse, or by calling 776-5331. Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce.
(Reference: The Teen Driver, American Academy of Pediatrics.)