Driving: what parents and teenagers need to t

<p>Teen drivers have the highest crash risk of any age group. Per mile traveled, they have the highest involvement rates in all types of crashes, from those involving only property damage to those that are fatal. The problem is worst among 16 yearolds, who have the most limited driving experience and an immaturity that often results in risktaking behind the wheel. The characteristics of teen fatal crashes highlight these problems. </p> <table width="365" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td colspan="4"><strong>Percentage of Fatal Crashes by Characteristic, 1998</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="123"><strong>Driver Age:</strong></td> <td width="79" align="center"><strong>16</strong></td> <td width="83" align="center"><strong>1719</strong></td> <td width="80" align="center"><strong>2049</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Driver error</strong></td> <td align="center">80</td> <td align="center">75</td> <td align="center">62</td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Speeding</strong></td> <td align="center">36</td> <td align="center">31</td> <td align="center">22</td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>3+ occupants</strong></td> <td align="center">33</td> <td align="center">26</td> <td align="center">19</td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Single vehicle</strong></td> <td align="center">41</td> <td align="center">37</td> <td align="center">30</td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Drivers killes with 0.01+ BAC</strong></td> <td align="center">8</td> <td align="center">25</td> <td align="center">47</td> </tr> </table> Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety <p><strong>Driver error:</strong> Compared with crashes of older drivers, those of 16 yearolds more often involve driver error.</p> <p><strong>Speeding:</strong> Sixteenyearold drivers have a higher rate of crashes in which excessive speed is a factor.</p> <p><strong>Singlevehicle crashes:</strong> More of teens fatal crashes involve only the teen's vehicle. Typically these are highspeed crashes in which the driver lost control.</p> <p><strong>Passengers:</strong> Sixteen yearolds' fatal crashes are more likely to occur when other teenagers are in the car. The risk increases with every additional passenger.</p> <p><strong>Alcohol:</strong> Although this is a problem among drivers of all ages, it's actually less of a problem for teens. Thirteen percent of fatally injured drivers in 1998 had positive blood alcohol concentrations (BACs). Only 8 percent had BACs of 0.10 percent or greater. </p> <p><strong>Night driving:</strong> This is a highrisk activity for beginners. Per mile driven, the nighttime fatal crash rate for teens is about twice as high as during the day.</p> <p><strong>Low belt use:</strong> Teenagers generally are less likely than adults to use safety belts.</p> <p><strong>When parents understand the risk factors involved in letting teen drivers get behind the wheel, they can act to improve the situation for their own children.</strong></p> <p><strong>Don't rely solely on driver education:</strong> High school driver education may be the most convenient way to learn driving skills, but it doesn't produce safer drivers. Poor skills aren't always to blame for teens' crashes. Their attitudes and decisionmaking skills matter more. Young people naturally tend to rebel, and peer pressure influences them more than advice from adults. They often think they're immune to harm, which is why they don't use safety belts as much and why they deliberately seek thrills like speeding. Training and education don't change these tendencies.</p> <p><strong>Restrict night driving:</strong> Most nighttime fatal crashes among young drivers occur between 9 p.m. and midnight, so teenagers shouldn't be driving much later than 9 p.m. The problem isn't just that latenight driving requires more skill. Outings late at night tend to be recreational. In these circumstances, even teens who usually follow all the rules can be easily distracted or encouraged to take risks.</p> <p><strong>Restrict passengers:</strong> Teen passengers in a vehicle can distract a beginning driver and/or lead to greater risktaking. Because young drivers often transport their friends, there's a teen passenger problem as well as a teen driver problem. Almost two of every three teen passenger deaths (62 percent) occur in crashes with a teen driver. While night driving with passengers is particularly lethal, many fatal crashes with teen passengers occur during the day. The best policy is to restrict teen passengers, especially multiple teens, all the time.</p> <p><strong>Supervise practice driving:</strong> Take an active role in helping your teenager learn how to drive. Plan a series of practice sessions in a wide variety of situations, including night driving. Give beginners time to work up to challenges like driving in heavy traffic or on the freeway. Supervised practice should be spread over at least six months and continue even after a teenager graduates from a learner's permit to a restricted or full license.</p> <p><strong>Remember you are a role model:</strong> New drivers learn a lot by example, so practice safe driving. Teens with crashes and violations often have parents with poor driving records. </p> <p><strong>Require safety belt use:</strong> Don't assume that belt use when you're in the car with your 16 yearold means belts will be used all the time, especially when your child is out with peers. Remember that belt use is lower among teenagers than older people. Insist on belts all the time.</p> <p><strong>Prohibit driving after drinking:</strong> Make it clear that it's illegal and highly dangerous for a teenager to drive after drinking alcohol or using any other drug. While alcohol isn't a factor in most crashes of teen drivers, even small amounts of alcohol are impairing for teens.</p> <p><strong>Choose vehicles for safety, not image:</strong> Teenagers should drive vehicles that reduce their chances of a crash and offer protection in case they do crash. For example, small cars don't offer the best protection in a crash. Avoid cars with performance images that might encourage speeding. Avoid trucks and sport utility vehicles the smaller ones, especially, are more prone to roll over.</p>