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Deanie Wimmer Reporting Helping teen drivers stay safe has become the focus of a national campaign this week. AAA has 10 tips for parents with young drivers.
Many parents have already set some rules of the road.
Megan Burick said, "Already told them that if they're texting while driving, they'll lose their privilege to drive."
Leslie Thompson says, "Patience and lots of practice."
Now AAA has some others:
- Sixteen may not be the magic driving age; evaluate your own teen's readiness.
- Restrict passengers in the beginning; research shows crashes increase with each additional friend in the car.
- Restrict night-time driving; most night-time crashes happen after 9 o'clock.
- Also, put it on paper. Sign a driving contract with your teens, so they know the rules and repercussions. Dave Garbrecht says, "I've seen the contract. I didn't sign one with my daughter, but I think it's probably a good idea." Burick says, "Knowing that they would lose the privilege to drive if they didn't follow the rules." According to AAA, the most persuasive lesson is the example parents themselves set from behind the wheel. Rolayne Fairclough, with AAA, says, "Parents need to watch their own driving, too, even before their children become drivers themselves." Teens make up only seven percent of drivers but are involved in 25 percent of the crashes. For AAA's Top Ten tips or for a copy of the contract, there's a link at the top right of this story.
