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SANDY — Teens texting while driving and other distracting behaviors have grabbed headlines in recent years as lawmakers grappled with the deadly consequences.
AAA recently put cameras in the cars of newly-licensed teens to discover just how risky it can be. The findings didn't surprise young drivers at A-1 Driving School in Sandy Wednesday.
Clarice Booker and Max Chavez both postponed getting licenses at 16 because they feared the consequences of distracted driving and saw friends getting into crashes.
"I don't really trust my friends behind the wheel," Chavez said. "I didn't really trust myself up until this point."
The study found females were twice as likely as males to use an electronic device while driving.
Texting while driving is illegal in Utah and several other states. But the videos from the AAA Foundation of Traffic Safety study show many distracted moments among teen drivers.
"That kind of scared me," Booker said of the videos, which are all posted on AAA's website. "I was like, ‘Oh my gosh! I don't want to be in that kind of situation.'"
The study found females were twice as likely as males to use an electronic device while driving. Overall, they were nearly 10 percent more likely to engage in other distracted behaviors, like reaching for something or eating or drinking, than their male counterparts.
"It's because girls like to gossip and be in the drama," Booker said.
- Practice, practice, practice. Once teens have their actual license, continue to ensure that basic skills are mastered and to introduce varied driving conditions such as snow and heavy traffic rural roads with an experienced driver in the passenger seat.
- Keep passengers out. Teen drivers' crash risks multiply with teenage passengers in the vehicle. Set limits and enforce them consistently.
- Limit night driving. Reduced visibility makes night driving riskier for drivers of all ages. For inexperienced teens it's even harder. Allow new teen drivers to drive at night only if it's truly necessary for them to practice driving in the dark with a parent.
- Keep setting rules. Establish and enforce rules above and beyond state laws. In addition to night and passenger limits, set rules for inclement weather, highways, cities, or other driving conditions in which a teen has not gained enough experience. Find a parent-teen agreement on TeenDriving.aaa.com that can help.
But male drivers have their own problems. The study found teenage boys were roughly twice as likely to turn around in their seats while driving, and were also more likely to communicate with people outside of their vehicle.
"Immediately, right after they got their licenses, they were always on the phone talking or texting, or they're just turning back talking to me," Chavez said, describing his friends' driving behavior.
"The texting is a big problem. But with the younger people, having friends in the car is probably the bigger problem, said driving instructor Chuck Clegg.
Clegg says this generation of drivers is very aware of the dangers. They grew up with cellphones, and many feel they can text while doing anything.
"That happens with all drivers, though," Clegg added. "We all have that overconfidence where we think, ‘Well, I've been driving for 15 or 20 years, and I can handle anything that comes up.'"
AAA has these tips for parents working with newly licensed teen drivers: Make sure they get lots of practice in different situations; keep passengers out of the car when your teen is driving; and limit night driving. The reduced visibility makes it riskier for all drivers.
