If you have a teenager, it was probably a scary day when he passed his driver's license exam and had the freedom to drive. It takes time to become a responsible driver. Experience is traffic safety's best friend.

It's too bad that experience, by definition, takes time. So the important question is how we can keep teenagers safe while they are inexperienced behind the wheel. Ensuring that they drive more safely could prevent car accidents that not only put teen drivers in danger but all who share the roads.

A study from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia indicates that car accidents involving teenaged drivers happen more often while other teen passengers are in the car. A further look at that accident trend reveals the following details:

  • Teens who believe that their parents don't set driving rules are more likely to drive with teen passengers in the car
  • Teens who consider themselves as "thrill seekers" are more likely to drive with teen passengers in the car
  • Teens who underestimate or ignore the dangers of driving are more likely to drive with teen drivers in the car
  • Teens who drive with teen passengers in their car and get into an accident are more likely to be distracted before the crash compared to teens who drive alone and get into accidents
  • Male teen drivers are more likely to be distracted by their peers before an accident compared to female teen drivers

The above points can inform parents about what they can do to try to prevent their teens from getting into trouble behind the wheel. Parents should explicitly set driving rules for their teens, especially if they know their teen as someone who is a "thrill seeker." Parents can also teach their teens about the dangers of the road, including distracted driving that is so often motivated by having peer passengers in the car.

Source

USA Today: "Teen driver's friends can be dangerous distraction, studies find," Robert Preidt, Jan. 30, 2012