Most teens look forward to the day they will pass their driver’s test and get a license. No longer will they need to wait for mom or dad to find the time to take them here or there. Instead, with their keys in hand, they will be able to drive to where ever they need to go.
While driving does allow adolescents an entirely new level of freedom and independence, it also comes with a host of responsibilities and reasons for concern. New drivers appear to be the most at risk for problems. First and foremost, teen drivers lack experience. By the time they obtain their licenses, they have generally been driving months not years. But they also may demonstrate immature behavior such as speeding, tailgating, and careless driving. As a result of increasing numbers of fatalities in teenage drivers, in 2006 the Massachusetts legislature was considering raising the minimum driving age to seventeen and one half years—the highest age in the nation.
And, these problems exact a terrible toll. Teen drivers have the highest death rate of any group. On average, teens between the ages of sixteen and nineteen are four times as likely as older drivers to be in a crash. That is a staggering statistic. About six thousand teens die in crashes every year. Many more are left with serious injuries. Often, these are permanent. In 1999, teens represented ten percent of the U.S. population. However, during that same year, they accounted for fourteen percent of the motor vehicle related deaths and sixteen percent of the passenger vehicle occupant deaths. Meanwhile, sixty-three percent of teenage passenger deaths occurred in a crash in which another teen was driving.
Male adolescents are more likely to be killed in crashes than females. In fact, two of every three adolescents killed in a crash are male. And, despite all the efforts of law enforcement and Mothers Against Drunk Driving to raise awareness about the consequences of mixing alcohol with driving, among teens between the ages of sixteen and nineteen, twenty-three percent of the fatally injured male drivers and ten percent of the fatally injured female drivers have blood alcohol levels at or above 0.10 percent.
So what are some of the ways that teens and their parents can improve their automobile safety? There is a great deal of support for graduated licensing. Though the requirements vary from state to state, in some states, teens do not simply pass their driver’s tests and have unlimited access to the road. Rather, they usually have a three-stage progression to driving. At first, they have some form of learner’s permit in which they must have supervised driving. While it may be nerve-wracking to parents, under supervision, teens should drive as often as possible—during both day and evening hours. In time, they should also drive during rainy and snowy conditions. The only real way to learn to drive in poor weather is to spend time driving in it. In graduated licensing, the period of supervised driving is followed by limited unsupervised driving. A full license is given only after teens have proven that they can drive without accidents or violations. Graduated licensing gives teens some extra time to acquire the skills that they need to become a more responsible driver.
Teens must learn to focus on the driving. Instead of the road, they may be thinking about a problem at school or a recent dispute with a friend. It is remarkably easy for the newly licensed teen to be diverted. For example, while talking with their passengers or popping a CD into the player, they may fail to note an approaching dangerous situation or may neglect to stop for a stop sign. Though teens often appear to be permanently connected to their cell phones, cells phones should never be used when driving. If one needs to make a call while driving, then pull over to the side of the road and stop the car.
Teens–indeed people of all ages—should never start a car without wearing a seat belt. If there are passengers in the car, they should also be belted. During a crash, unbelted bodies may be thrown throughout the car and seriously or fatally hurt. Indeed, unbelted bodies may be ejected from the car. The probability of injury increases exponentially when passengers are unbelted.
No one should drink and drive nor be a passenger when the driver has been drinking. Since teens are underage, they should not be drinking any alcoholic beverages. Nevertheless, we all know that some teens do drink. At the very least, they should pick a designated driver who refrains from any alcoholic beverages. Adolescents should know that the majority of states have zero tolerance laws. That means that drivers under the age of twenty-one who are found to have more than trace levels of alcohol in their blood will immediately lose their license.
Driving a safer car is also of prime importance. Newer models, with more safety features such as shoulder harnesses, air bags, and antilock brakes, are better than older models. And larger cars—mid-sized and full models—are preferable to smaller ones. Data from crash tests are available in printed form or on the Web. In 2001, the cars with the highest risk to lowest risk of rollover in accidents were released. If a teen’s budget only permits a smaller car, he or she should try to find a car built in 1995 or later. Those cars have dual air bags. Earlier models may not have this feature. Performance cars, such as sports cars, should be avoided. They will only encourage reckless behavior. There are a number of organizations that test car safety. These may be easily located on the Internet.
Parents should insist that teens take classes at driver’s education school. One should ask around and find out what people say about the various programs. Teens should find one that is highly recommended and then pay for extra driving instruction. Several private lessons may be useful.
Before parents hand over their car keys, many require their teens to sign written contracts. While the contracts vary from family to family, parents may wish to prohibit new drivers from transporting their teen aged friends or may limit after dark or freeway driving. A certain grade point average or membership in Students Against Drunk Driving may be required. And the contract should insist that teens wear seat belts. Drag racing is taboo. Any failure to comply with the contract should result in an immediate loss of permission to drive. Massachusetts is considering changing the minimum driving age to seventeen and one half years because of several recent fatal accidents involving teenaged drivers.
One should remember that driving is a privilege—not a right. Privileges must be earned. If an adolescent wishes to drive, then he or she must follow the rules. If not, the consequences may be tragic.
Related topics:
Accidents, independence and rebellion, motorcycle safety, risk-taking
