The Society of Family Insurance Specialist is working on a project that we believe can make a difference in reducing the dangerous driving that causes most teen driver accidents and fatalities.
Immaturity is attributed to many of the mistakes teens make. Talking on cell phones, distractions in the car, peer pressure to push the limits, and just plain being careless most often leads to accidents.
The project we are proposing and have support to fund sounds like it can help, but we need to know what parents like you think of the program and whether you would consider it worthwhile to participate.
Here's how it will work...
You would get a bumper sticker (11 X 3.5) that is similar to the bumper sticker you often see on commercial vehicles (How's my driving?) and place it on your teen driver's car. There will be a toll-free number and a unique code printed on the sticker.
If your teen drives dangerously, and if someone calls the toll-free number to report, you will be notified of the incident. The person reporting the incident will have to describe the vehicle, time and place, and the code on the bumper sticker. This information will be handled by a third party and will only be disclosed to you by e-mail. The insurance company will never have access to this information.
Most likely, the reports will be minimal but the real benefit is that if your teen driver knows that there is a chance of being reported, the likelihood of making a mistake should be drastically reduced.
So, would you mind taking just a minute to answer 7 questions and let our organization know what you think?
Click Here to Take Our Survey
This survey is completely anonymous. So, please feel free to share your honest thoughts on this program.
Thanks for your time!
Tom Wiecek, President
Society of Family Insurance Specialists
PS As I mentioned, this program will be funded 100%. There will be no cost to you. But, there is a significant expense in creating this program and we need to make sure that this would be something that parents find valuable. If we get enough positive response, we’ll make it happen. Thanks again for your help!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Your Child Needs A Car – What Should You Buy?
By Wake Clinard
Your Child Needs A Car – What Should You Buy?
Many times we are asked this question by our clients with teen drivers so I thought I would address this issue in today’s blog. Some parents fall prey to “I just want the best for my child” syndrome and in their efforts to do the “best” thing for their child, they may in fact do the “worst”.
When shopping for a first car for your child there are several considerations that should rise to the top of the pile for you. They are:
What car will help keep my child safe?.... and,
What car will keep my insurance rates low?
I can tell you that if you left it to your teen to choose the car then these two considerations would probably fall to the bottom of the list.
The odds are that your child will be involved in some type of accident in his or her first year of driving. That is why your teen’s first car should be one that is safe for them and one that won’t hurt your pocketbook in the event of a minor bump up.
Let’s start with safety. Here you want to find a vehicle that is large and slow. Don’t get one that is so old that you skip the anti-lock brakes and airbags though. Underpowered is good as well. Now I know that in these times of climbing gas prices you might be tempted to choose a smaller car for your child. I would encourage you not to fall into that trap. Think of your child’s first car as a temporary solution for say a year or two until they become more a more competent driver. With that in mind, the poor gas mileage, while painful will be a short term trade off to keep them safe while they are in their most dangerous stage. In addition, today’s higher gas prices are driving down the resale value of larger used cars so you can make up some of the gas cost on the purchase price.
One more note about safety. Do not purchase a SUV type vehicle for your child. Any vehicle that has a high center of gravity will increase the chances of a rollover accident tremendously. Young drivers simply have not had the experience that they need to judge speed going into tight turns and these vehicles are very unforgiving of this mistake.
Now, how do you keep the costs of insurance lower? Well, as soon as your child becomes a primary operator on a vehicle, their inexperienced operator rates will go up, but you can minimize the cost by purchasing an inexpensive first vehicle for your child. This way you can avoid having to purchase collision insurance on this vehicle. You need to be sure that if the vehicle is totaled and you need to replace it that you can afford to do so. When my son banged up his first car in two different accidents that were his fault, I took the car to a local body repair shop and asked them to repair it enough to keep the car safe and legal. While it might have cost thousands to repair the dings and dents, making it safe and legal in each case cost me about $300.
One last note about cars for your teens. Purchasing an older model car gives you the chance to see how well your child will take car of a car. Let them know that you purchasing a newer, nicer car for them in the future is contigent on how well they maintain this one. This gives you a low risk opportunity to see how well they will take this advice. Imagine how you might feel if you spend a small fortune on a car and insurance for them and after a month or so the inside looks like a garbage dump. I guess another way to predict this would be to take a look inside your teenager's room. But of course that is always a scary proposition. Good luck and happy car hunting.
Your Child Needs A Car – What Should You Buy?
Many times we are asked this question by our clients with teen drivers so I thought I would address this issue in today’s blog. Some parents fall prey to “I just want the best for my child” syndrome and in their efforts to do the “best” thing for their child, they may in fact do the “worst”.
When shopping for a first car for your child there are several considerations that should rise to the top of the pile for you. They are:
What car will help keep my child safe?.... and,
What car will keep my insurance rates low?
I can tell you that if you left it to your teen to choose the car then these two considerations would probably fall to the bottom of the list.
The odds are that your child will be involved in some type of accident in his or her first year of driving. That is why your teen’s first car should be one that is safe for them and one that won’t hurt your pocketbook in the event of a minor bump up.
Let’s start with safety. Here you want to find a vehicle that is large and slow. Don’t get one that is so old that you skip the anti-lock brakes and airbags though. Underpowered is good as well. Now I know that in these times of climbing gas prices you might be tempted to choose a smaller car for your child. I would encourage you not to fall into that trap. Think of your child’s first car as a temporary solution for say a year or two until they become more a more competent driver. With that in mind, the poor gas mileage, while painful will be a short term trade off to keep them safe while they are in their most dangerous stage. In addition, today’s higher gas prices are driving down the resale value of larger used cars so you can make up some of the gas cost on the purchase price.
One more note about safety. Do not purchase a SUV type vehicle for your child. Any vehicle that has a high center of gravity will increase the chances of a rollover accident tremendously. Young drivers simply have not had the experience that they need to judge speed going into tight turns and these vehicles are very unforgiving of this mistake.
Now, how do you keep the costs of insurance lower? Well, as soon as your child becomes a primary operator on a vehicle, their inexperienced operator rates will go up, but you can minimize the cost by purchasing an inexpensive first vehicle for your child. This way you can avoid having to purchase collision insurance on this vehicle. You need to be sure that if the vehicle is totaled and you need to replace it that you can afford to do so. When my son banged up his first car in two different accidents that were his fault, I took the car to a local body repair shop and asked them to repair it enough to keep the car safe and legal. While it might have cost thousands to repair the dings and dents, making it safe and legal in each case cost me about $300.
One last note about cars for your teens. Purchasing an older model car gives you the chance to see how well your child will take car of a car. Let them know that you purchasing a newer, nicer car for them in the future is contigent on how well they maintain this one. This gives you a low risk opportunity to see how well they will take this advice. Imagine how you might feel if you spend a small fortune on a car and insurance for them and after a month or so the inside looks like a garbage dump. I guess another way to predict this would be to take a look inside your teenager's room. But of course that is always a scary proposition. Good luck and happy car hunting.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
HOW MANY TEENS DIE IN CAR WRECKS?
In the U.S. 6,000 teens die every year in car crashes. That’s an average of 16 a day. Don’t let your friends be one of the 16.
Car crashes are the #1 killer of teens in the U.S., even more than alcohol, drugs, violence and suicide. Can you believe that?
WHY? WHAT CAUSES THIS?
Speeding and dumb little errors are responsible for most of the fatal teen car wrecks. Can you say “preventable”?
Nearly 40% of all fatal teen crashes are caused by speeding.
News flash: Life is a better rush than death.
87% of teens admit to speeding. Be a rebel and drive the speed limit.
Almost 25% of teen guys say they speed because it’s “fun”.Their injured friends, however, disagree.
In 2004, over 2,500 teens were in fatal crashes because of failing toyield or veering out of their lanes. Could there be any dumberreasons to die?
ARE THERE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GUY & GIRL DRIVERS?
Twice as many teen guys die in car wrecks than teen girls. Just badluck or is there something else going on here?
WHAT KIND OF IMPACT DO FRIENDS HAVE?
Adding just one guy passenger to your car doubles the risk of a crash.Weird, but true.
The more friends you add to your car, the greater the risk of a wreck.Drive like your friendships depend on it.
44% of teens say they drive safer without friends in the car. Next timeyou drive with friends, invite your conscience to ride up front.
50% of teens say they wouldn’t speak up if a friend was drivingrecklessly. They just need to grow a backbone.
A lot of teens drive recklessly to impress their date. Smart drivershave nothing to prove.ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD KNOW?
56% of teens talk on their cell phones while driving, and 13% read orwrite text messages. Are these distractions worth an ambulance rideto the ER?
Some teens think they’ll get pulled over if they don’t drive as fast aseveryone else on the freeway. This just in: They won’t!
Two-thirds of teens who die in car wrecks are not buckled up. Sadwhen people can’t even do the basics.
If you drive between 9 p.m. and midnight, you’re twice as likely to getin a crash. So focus, man, focus!
Some of the deadliest days for teen crashes are July 4th, New Year’sEve, and the 100 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Decide not to become a statistic.
WHAT ARE THE 15 CONSEQUENCES OF CARELESS OR RECKLESS DRIVING?
(This information was provided by http://www.keepthedrive.com)
Car crashes are the #1 killer of teens in the U.S., even more than alcohol, drugs, violence and suicide. Can you believe that?
WHY? WHAT CAUSES THIS?
Speeding and dumb little errors are responsible for most of the fatal teen car wrecks. Can you say “preventable”?
Nearly 40% of all fatal teen crashes are caused by speeding.
News flash: Life is a better rush than death.
87% of teens admit to speeding. Be a rebel and drive the speed limit.
Almost 25% of teen guys say they speed because it’s “fun”.Their injured friends, however, disagree.
In 2004, over 2,500 teens were in fatal crashes because of failing toyield or veering out of their lanes. Could there be any dumberreasons to die?
ARE THERE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GUY & GIRL DRIVERS?
Twice as many teen guys die in car wrecks than teen girls. Just badluck or is there something else going on here?
WHAT KIND OF IMPACT DO FRIENDS HAVE?
Adding just one guy passenger to your car doubles the risk of a crash.Weird, but true.
The more friends you add to your car, the greater the risk of a wreck.Drive like your friendships depend on it.
44% of teens say they drive safer without friends in the car. Next timeyou drive with friends, invite your conscience to ride up front.
50% of teens say they wouldn’t speak up if a friend was drivingrecklessly. They just need to grow a backbone.
A lot of teens drive recklessly to impress their date. Smart drivershave nothing to prove.ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD KNOW?
56% of teens talk on their cell phones while driving, and 13% read orwrite text messages. Are these distractions worth an ambulance rideto the ER?
Some teens think they’ll get pulled over if they don’t drive as fast aseveryone else on the freeway. This just in: They won’t!
Two-thirds of teens who die in car wrecks are not buckled up. Sadwhen people can’t even do the basics.
If you drive between 9 p.m. and midnight, you’re twice as likely to getin a crash. So focus, man, focus!
Some of the deadliest days for teen crashes are July 4th, New Year’sEve, and the 100 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Decide not to become a statistic.
WHAT ARE THE 15 CONSEQUENCES OF CARELESS OR RECKLESS DRIVING?
- A really expensive ticket
- Higher insurance rates
- Losing your driving privileges
- Losing your license
- Seriously hurting a friend
- Seriously hurting yourself
- Being sued and going to court
- Damaging property and having to pay for it yourself
- Killing somebody you care about
- Killing a stranger
- Being arrested and charged as a felon
- Serving time in jail
- Not being able to get into college because of a felony record
- Not being able to get a job because of a felony record
- Loss of one’s dreams, one’s future, and one’s reputation with friends
(This information was provided by http://www.keepthedrive.com)
Your Teen Driver's Safety- It is Your Responsibility!
By Master Police Officer James Poer
During my years investigating accidents, I have had to witness the results of the careless mistakes teens make behind the wheel. As a father of four, these experiences made it very stressful for me as each of my children became drivers.
I spent this past Saturday helping 57 teen drivers and their parents learn about the dangers teens face on the road. They learned about the effects of alcohol, distractions and careless driving plus they got to experience what it is like to lose control of a motor vehicle in 3 different situations.
One major point we tried to make was that teens must have as much experience as possible before you allow them to drive unsupervised. It is recommended that every teen get at least 100 hours behind the wheel while being supervised. Driving schools, at best, only give your teen 6 hours of supervised driving time.
That means, it is up to you to make sure your teen gets the necessary experience.
Lack of experience is why teens are 5 times more likely to get into accidents than experienced drivers like you and me. And, it is your responsibility as a parent to make sure your teen gets this experience of driving in different situations.
Your TeenDriverInsurance.com agent provides what I consider an excellent tool in helping you accomplish this. It's called the "Safe Teen Driver Guide". This 16 step home study driving course gives you a lesson plan and driving exercises that cover the most important skills every teen must master.
This guide will help you make your teen's supervised driving time most effective. Contact your agent today to get a copy. It can really give your teen the experience and skill to come home safely every time they grab the car keys.
You can learn more tips and strategies on keeping your teen safe by visiting my Blog at www.parentalcourage.com.
Master Police Officer, James Poer has investigated countless accidents over the past 30 years. He is also a parent of 4 drivers and his experience and advice is priceless. Please visit his blog often to learn more about how you can make your teen a safer driver.
You can learn more about protecting your family and how you can keep your teen safe, visit www.teendriverinsurance.com.
During my years investigating accidents, I have had to witness the results of the careless mistakes teens make behind the wheel. As a father of four, these experiences made it very stressful for me as each of my children became drivers.
I spent this past Saturday helping 57 teen drivers and their parents learn about the dangers teens face on the road. They learned about the effects of alcohol, distractions and careless driving plus they got to experience what it is like to lose control of a motor vehicle in 3 different situations.
One major point we tried to make was that teens must have as much experience as possible before you allow them to drive unsupervised. It is recommended that every teen get at least 100 hours behind the wheel while being supervised. Driving schools, at best, only give your teen 6 hours of supervised driving time.
That means, it is up to you to make sure your teen gets the necessary experience.
Lack of experience is why teens are 5 times more likely to get into accidents than experienced drivers like you and me. And, it is your responsibility as a parent to make sure your teen gets this experience of driving in different situations.
Your TeenDriverInsurance.com agent provides what I consider an excellent tool in helping you accomplish this. It's called the "Safe Teen Driver Guide". This 16 step home study driving course gives you a lesson plan and driving exercises that cover the most important skills every teen must master.
This guide will help you make your teen's supervised driving time most effective. Contact your agent today to get a copy. It can really give your teen the experience and skill to come home safely every time they grab the car keys.
You can learn more tips and strategies on keeping your teen safe by visiting my Blog at www.parentalcourage.com.
Master Police Officer, James Poer has investigated countless accidents over the past 30 years. He is also a parent of 4 drivers and his experience and advice is priceless. Please visit his blog often to learn more about how you can make your teen a safer driver.
You can learn more about protecting your family and how you can keep your teen safe, visit www.teendriverinsurance.com.
Tears for My Friends
By Debbye Butler
I have a friend named Jeannette. She had a daughter and a son, until October 1986. Her daughter tested the odds of the effects of alcohol on her motor skills and judgment versus her knowledge about the roads with which she was so familiar.
The alcohol won.
Cindy never saw her 21st birthday. Jeannette, however, has to live through every one of her daughter’s candles-and-cake days — wondering what her daughter would look like now and what she would be doing with her promising life.
I have another buddy. His name is Bill. He is a devoted family man, and until a dreaded October night in 1992, he had two sons and a daughter. Now he has one son, one daughter, and 17 years of memories of a child who will never grow older. Bill, too, had to live the worst parental nightmare possible — a tired teenager with a set of car keys, a can of beer, and an invincible attitude on a late weekend night.
Both of my friends are incredibly loving people and responsible parents. They were looking forward to graduations, a son- or daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. But they have been cheated out of some of the best and most meaningful adventures in life, and nothing or no one can change that cruel, crushing reality.
Maybe you know someone who has lost a son or daughter because of this deadly combination. Maybe it’s a neighbor. Maybe it’s a friend. Maybe it’s someone in your own family. Maybe the children’s deaths were caused by another person who was driving while intoxicated.
It’s hard for me to believe I would ever have personally known one family — much less two — that would have to live through this gnawing, once-it-happens-it-never-goes-away pain. And it’s even more difficult to know what to say to them. Hugs help. But they’ll never replace the hugs from the children who are gone because of alcohol.
When Bill was saying goodbye to his son during the funeral, he did the most loving, courageous thing that any parent could do in a situation like this. With a lump in his throat that must have felt like the size of a softball, he looked out at the stunned young faces of his son’s high school friends. He said he never wanted to have to come to a funeral for this reason again. He said, “Don’t drink and drive.”
Bill told me later he hoped he didn’t sound like he was preaching. Well … I hope he did. I hope everyone listened. And I hope everyone remembers.
© Debbye Butler. Used with author’s permission. May not be reproduced in any fashion without author’s express permission. Debbye Butler is a freelance writer based in Indianapolis, Ind.
I have a friend named Jeannette. She had a daughter and a son, until October 1986. Her daughter tested the odds of the effects of alcohol on her motor skills and judgment versus her knowledge about the roads with which she was so familiar.
The alcohol won.
Cindy never saw her 21st birthday. Jeannette, however, has to live through every one of her daughter’s candles-and-cake days — wondering what her daughter would look like now and what she would be doing with her promising life.
I have another buddy. His name is Bill. He is a devoted family man, and until a dreaded October night in 1992, he had two sons and a daughter. Now he has one son, one daughter, and 17 years of memories of a child who will never grow older. Bill, too, had to live the worst parental nightmare possible — a tired teenager with a set of car keys, a can of beer, and an invincible attitude on a late weekend night.
Both of my friends are incredibly loving people and responsible parents. They were looking forward to graduations, a son- or daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. But they have been cheated out of some of the best and most meaningful adventures in life, and nothing or no one can change that cruel, crushing reality.
Maybe you know someone who has lost a son or daughter because of this deadly combination. Maybe it’s a neighbor. Maybe it’s a friend. Maybe it’s someone in your own family. Maybe the children’s deaths were caused by another person who was driving while intoxicated.
It’s hard for me to believe I would ever have personally known one family — much less two — that would have to live through this gnawing, once-it-happens-it-never-goes-away pain. And it’s even more difficult to know what to say to them. Hugs help. But they’ll never replace the hugs from the children who are gone because of alcohol.
When Bill was saying goodbye to his son during the funeral, he did the most loving, courageous thing that any parent could do in a situation like this. With a lump in his throat that must have felt like the size of a softball, he looked out at the stunned young faces of his son’s high school friends. He said he never wanted to have to come to a funeral for this reason again. He said, “Don’t drink and drive.”
Bill told me later he hoped he didn’t sound like he was preaching. Well … I hope he did. I hope everyone listened. And I hope everyone remembers.
© Debbye Butler. Used with author’s permission. May not be reproduced in any fashion without author’s express permission. Debbye Butler is a freelance writer based in Indianapolis, Ind.
Driving is a Privilege... Not a Right
By Ret. Master Police Officer James Poer
As Americans, we often confuse what are our rights and what are our privileges. Teens… well, they really don’t have a clue.
Rights are something that every American has. We have the right to free speech… within the law. You can’t go into a movie theater and yell “fire”. We have the right to bear arms… again it must be used within the law. However, there is nothing in the Constitution that says we have the right to drive.
Every state gives us the privilege to drive and they can take it away if we abuse this privilege. As a parent of a young driver, you also have the ability to take away this privilege.
We have laws set by the US government. We have laws set by every state in this country. Every city has specific statutes that are really local laws. Your family has rules (or laws) within your household. But do you have specific rules for your teen driver to follow?
Sure, you may have talked about rules before and they may be based on what the state declares as a law, but do you have it in writing?
Simply discussing rules and the consequences of breaking a rule is one thing. Putting it in writing gives you much more power. Imagine if the President of the United States told us that we can no longer put jelly on our peanut butter sandwiches. Congress never passes the law and it was never put in writing. Do you think a judge could convict you if you put jelly on your peanut butter sandwich?
Okay, I may be reaching here but my point is, if you put in writing, it holds more weight. It shows your teen that you are very serious about your young driver’s safety and you will impose punishment for breaking the “Family’s Driving Laws”.
And don’t be afraid to take away privileges when these “laws” are broken. If you find out your teen has been driving while talking on the cell phone, driving with too many passengers, speeding, or any other dangerous action, take away privileges and be swift about it.
If your teen has agreed in writing, he or she will know that the consequences are going to be enforced!
You can download a FREE Parent/ Teen Driver Contract by visiting www.teendriverinsurance.com. There is also a Consequences Agreement where you can put in writing specifically what will happen if your young driver breaks certain rules.
Laws are put in writing to be respected and enforced. Your teen will hold greater respect for your family laws if they are in writing too.
As Americans, we often confuse what are our rights and what are our privileges. Teens… well, they really don’t have a clue.
Rights are something that every American has. We have the right to free speech… within the law. You can’t go into a movie theater and yell “fire”. We have the right to bear arms… again it must be used within the law. However, there is nothing in the Constitution that says we have the right to drive.
Every state gives us the privilege to drive and they can take it away if we abuse this privilege. As a parent of a young driver, you also have the ability to take away this privilege.
We have laws set by the US government. We have laws set by every state in this country. Every city has specific statutes that are really local laws. Your family has rules (or laws) within your household. But do you have specific rules for your teen driver to follow?
Sure, you may have talked about rules before and they may be based on what the state declares as a law, but do you have it in writing?
Simply discussing rules and the consequences of breaking a rule is one thing. Putting it in writing gives you much more power. Imagine if the President of the United States told us that we can no longer put jelly on our peanut butter sandwiches. Congress never passes the law and it was never put in writing. Do you think a judge could convict you if you put jelly on your peanut butter sandwich?
Okay, I may be reaching here but my point is, if you put in writing, it holds more weight. It shows your teen that you are very serious about your young driver’s safety and you will impose punishment for breaking the “Family’s Driving Laws”.
And don’t be afraid to take away privileges when these “laws” are broken. If you find out your teen has been driving while talking on the cell phone, driving with too many passengers, speeding, or any other dangerous action, take away privileges and be swift about it.
If your teen has agreed in writing, he or she will know that the consequences are going to be enforced!
You can download a FREE Parent/ Teen Driver Contract by visiting www.teendriverinsurance.com. There is also a Consequences Agreement where you can put in writing specifically what will happen if your young driver breaks certain rules.
Laws are put in writing to be respected and enforced. Your teen will hold greater respect for your family laws if they are in writing too.
IIHS Proposes Increasing Minimum Driving Age
By Tom Wiecek, President of the Society of Family Insurance Specialists
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety announced today their proposal to increase the minimum driving age in all states in the US to age 17. Their reasons are solid and should help reduce the number of accidents involving teenagers.
The Graduated Drivers License program that almost every state has adopted has proven to work. Numbers of teen driver accidents and fatalities have decreased every year since its inception. The GDL program basically adds more supervised driving experience for teens and restricts them from driving during the times when risk is highest. However, more than 5,000 teens are killed in car accidents every year!
Although teens and many parents may not like this change, parents should understand that there are two primary reasons why 16 year olds are most likely to get into accidents- inexperience and immaturity. Parents can help their child get the experience by spending time supervising their teen behind the wheel.
Maturity, on the other hand, can only come with age. The GDL program gives the teen more time for experience but it doesn’t address the problem of immaturity. 16 year olds have the highest crash rate and fatalities of any age group and it’s largely due to peer pressure and not realizing the dangers they face.
16 year olds tend to think they are invincible behind the wheel and when other teens in their car urge them to drive fast, they cave into such pressures much easier.
Whether this proposal is passed in North Carolina or not, there are steps parents can take to reduce the likelihood of their child causing an accident.
Get a home study driving course and spend as much time possible teaching your teen the skills needed to drive safely.
Delay the time before your teen gets a full license. This will help your teen mature and give you more time to supervise your teen’s driving. This will also show how serious you are about their safety.
Get a GPS Teen Monitoring System. This will instantly reduce the likelihood of your teen driving dangerously. If your teen knows that you’ll be alerted, they will be less tempted to speed or break any other rules that you’ve set forth.
Talk to your teen about the dangers. Communication is probably the most effective way to make your teen a safer driver. Share the statistics and the most common mistakes teens make. Then get a contract in writing that states that your teen understands the dangers and will follow the rules you have set forth. You can download a free parent/teen driver contract by clicking here: http://www.teendriverinsurance.com.
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety announced today their proposal to increase the minimum driving age in all states in the US to age 17. Their reasons are solid and should help reduce the number of accidents involving teenagers.
The Graduated Drivers License program that almost every state has adopted has proven to work. Numbers of teen driver accidents and fatalities have decreased every year since its inception. The GDL program basically adds more supervised driving experience for teens and restricts them from driving during the times when risk is highest. However, more than 5,000 teens are killed in car accidents every year!
Although teens and many parents may not like this change, parents should understand that there are two primary reasons why 16 year olds are most likely to get into accidents- inexperience and immaturity. Parents can help their child get the experience by spending time supervising their teen behind the wheel.
Maturity, on the other hand, can only come with age. The GDL program gives the teen more time for experience but it doesn’t address the problem of immaturity. 16 year olds have the highest crash rate and fatalities of any age group and it’s largely due to peer pressure and not realizing the dangers they face.
16 year olds tend to think they are invincible behind the wheel and when other teens in their car urge them to drive fast, they cave into such pressures much easier.
Whether this proposal is passed in North Carolina or not, there are steps parents can take to reduce the likelihood of their child causing an accident.
Get a home study driving course and spend as much time possible teaching your teen the skills needed to drive safely.
Delay the time before your teen gets a full license. This will help your teen mature and give you more time to supervise your teen’s driving. This will also show how serious you are about their safety.
Get a GPS Teen Monitoring System. This will instantly reduce the likelihood of your teen driving dangerously. If your teen knows that you’ll be alerted, they will be less tempted to speed or break any other rules that you’ve set forth.
Talk to your teen about the dangers. Communication is probably the most effective way to make your teen a safer driver. Share the statistics and the most common mistakes teens make. Then get a contract in writing that states that your teen understands the dangers and will follow the rules you have set forth. You can download a free parent/teen driver contract by clicking here: http://www.teendriverinsurance.com.
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