Keep Your Teen Driver Safe

Parenting Your Teenager: Driving and Having a Car is a Privilege, Not a Right

2005-09-27T00:24:00.000-04:00

Q. My teenage son is turning 16 early next year and he's already lobbying us for a new car. He says all his friends are getting new cars, that he deserves one because it's his right when he turns 16, and he won't drive what he calls a POS car. Do you think he is trying to manipulate us, and what do you think we should do? And since he won't tell us what a POS car is, do you know?

A. What to do depends on what you want to accomplish.

If you want to teach your son that he can pester and manipulate you into giving him his way, then by all means get him a new car.

I know that's not what you want to teach him though.

What you have is an excellent opportunity to teach some important life lessons.

But first, let's get that POS question out of the way. POS stands for "piece of s---" and is just another one of your son's tools in his manipulation bag.

Rwo Important Life Privileges

There are at least two important principles to teach in this situation.

The first is the vast difference between rights and privileges.

Your son believes that getting a new car is his right as a 16-year-old. It's not. In fact, turning 16 does not even entitle you to a driver's license. It does make you eligible for the privilege of getting a driver's license.

Fostering the belief that privileges are in fact rights leads to a raging sense of entitlement.

Fostering a belief in privileges leads to a rare sense of ownership, appreciation and perhaps even stewardship, which is taking good care of what you have.

The second principle is the sometimes hazy difference between wants and needs.

A need is a "must have" for survival, or to accomplish something important. A want is something you would like to have but can live without.

Your son might need a car to get safely from place A to place B and you may also want to stop chauffeuring him. He may want a new car, but he does not need one. Even if you can afford to give him a new car, I think that would do him more harm than good.

Sit down with your son and tell him that you have discovered what a POS car is and assure him you have no intention of getting him one.

Similarly, you have no intention of getting him a new car either. Briefly - and I mean short and sweet briefly - explain the difference between rights and privileges and wants and needs.

Then tell him that you will be glad to help him find a Point A-to-Point B car.

If he wants anything better, tell him that for each dollar that he saves over the price of a basic Point A-to-Point B car, you will match it.

He will not walk away from this conversation jumping for joy.

He will walk away with the beginning of some very important life lessons, which is really the best 16th birthday present you could get him.

Leading parenting expert Jeff Herring is a teen and family therapist, parenting coach, speaker and syndicated parenting and relationship columnist. Jeff invites you to visit ParentingYourTeenager.com for 100's of tips and tools for parenting through the teenage years. You can also subscribe to his free weekly internet newsletter "ParentingYourTeenager."

My teenager wants to drive!

2005-09-26T00:37:00.000-04:00

Isn’t it amazing how fast our children grow up right before our eyes and yet sometimes we don’t even notice?

The early grade years seem to rush by all too quickly, and suddenly your little angel is transformed into a teenager. We all hope as parents that the time and patience that we have invested in our children while they were young, trying to guide them through life, hasn’t all suddenly gone out the window as soon as puberty walked through the door.

Teenagers have their own pressures to deal with and it sometimes feels like Moms and Dads just don’t have a clue about what they are going through.

For example the trend that seems to be going around at the moment with a lot of young people is, it’s cool to wear your pants down around the back of your knees and nearly trip over when you walk. Hey! I don’t knock it. I used to think it was cool to walk around in those bell bottom trousers, so who am I to talk. We as parents sometimes think that we are prepared to handle just about any situation that our teenagers are going to face. Besides, we were teenagers once. Right?

So are we as parents prepared for that question that eventually comes?

Mom, Dad, can you teach me how to drive?

I have to say here folks. I have seen a lot of Moms and Dads driving and let me tell you. I would question whether Mom and Dad should teach son / daughter how to drive at all. So, here is a question to all of you parents who have managed to stay with me this far. Are you ready to teach your teenager to drive? Now lets be honest here. Do you think that you are a good driver? Do you think that you set a good example for your teenager, or anyone for that matter when you are behind the wheel?

The reason is that if Mom or Dad’s driving habits aren’t the best. What then do you expect to teach your teenager? If you are going to teach someone how to drive, the first thing that I would recommend you do, is sign up for a defensive driving course if you haven’t completed one for a while.

I recommend this because anyone can be a good driver, but bad habits have a way of creeping up on us and sticking. You don’t even realize it. So for the sake of your teenagers introduction to driving, why not give them the best possible start by tweaking your own driving habits.

There are a couple of good courses here that will help you on your way. See if you can find one that suits you and your timetable. http://www.driving-defensive.com/defensivedriving.html

Remember that completing one of these courses not only helps your son / daughter. It also helps Mom and Dad to identify any areas of driving that need addressing. It’s a win win situation. Now, back to teaching your teenager. This is going to take a lot of planning for you to be able to teach them effectively and safely. Here is a tip. Teach them one driving skill at a time whenever you have a lesson. It may be reversing, parking.

You may want to teach them moving off skills. I have written some guidelines called defensive driving for parents which will help you organize lesson plans. Read this section carefully. It will help.

http://www.driving-defensive.com/DefensiveDrivingforParents.html

When teaching someone to drive, be prepared to nurture and guide them, and be patient. Don’t expect miracles and you won’t be disappointed. Teaching someone how to drive takes special skills. Have a look at the following questions and decide. Can I indeed teach my teenager how to drive? You will know the answer to that question after you answer these.

Am I a good example of how I want my teenager to drive?
Do I want my teenager to have the best possible driving tuition?
Can I stay calm when they don’t pick things up as quickly as I would like?
Am I the type of person who gets anxious when other people are driving?
Do I have the ability to guide my son / daughter through a potentially dangerous situation on the road using my voice?
Do I have the time that it takes to nurture and guide them?
Can I plan, the lessons as set out in the defensive driving for parents section?
Will I yell and lose my temper?

After reading and answering these questions, you should have no doubt whatsoever as to what you should now do when your teenager asks: Mom, Dad, can you teach me how to drive today? You and you alone know what the answer will be to that question.

Defensive driving saves lives, that’s a well known fact. Let’s use that knowledge and allow our teenagers the benefit of learning these new techniques and teach them how to drive to survive.

Happy Motoring.

Submitted by: Timoti Petera
Driving-Defensive

The Chief Operator Teen Driver Program - prevention of teenage driving accidents

2005-09-25T00:15:00.000-04:00

Every day, the media report on violent acts perpetrated by teenagers. These accounts make it easy to perceive that violence is the singular cause of death and serious bodily injury among teenagers. Yet, statistics reveal that in nine counties surrounding the San Francisco Bay Area, traffic-related incidents were the most significant contributor to death and serious bodily injury of 15- to 19-year-olds.(1) Moreover,

* Teen drivers age 15 to 19, who represent 4 to 5 percent of licensed drivers, became involved in 10 percent of all fatal and/or serious bodily injury crashes, a rate approaching 2.5 times their licensed driving population

* Only 16.3 percent of all teenagers killed in motor vehicle crashes wore seat belts

* One in 4,000 teens involved in fatal accidents as drivers or occupants used alcohol, the highest among any driving population

* Nearly half of teens killed in vehicle crashes were in the company of other teens, suggesting that peer pressure may have played a role.(2)

More than likely, these statistics reflect a national trend. Can teens' behavior be changed? A Philadelphia-based research group found that when a teenage audience perceives a safety message as emanating from mainstream culture, even when presented by their favorite sports icon, they summarily discount its content. On the other hand, if the teens themselves craft and deliver safety messages, without fear of ostracism by their peers, lasting behavior modification can result.(3) This research suggests that a primary goal of law enforcement may be to create programs that enhance teens' ability to promote their own safety messages in the style of their choice. The Albany, California, Police Department's Chief Operator Teen Driver Program represents one such program.

With funding from a 3-year grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, the Albany Police Department took a new approach to teen mentoring programs. The department counted on the universal appeal of music to create a successful program. "Elvis," a lieutenant, transforms into the "King of Traffic Safety" to communicate with the teens. "The Lawman," a sergeant, plays guitar and writes and produces all original songs. The chief, who plays bass guitar, completes the trio.

The Chief Operator Teen Driver Program stresses that teens should not consume alcoholic beverages. Still, acknowledging that many teens do drink, the program encourages them not to drink and drive, much like the adult-oriented Designated Driver campaign. In short, students who become Chief Operators pledge to:

* ensure that all teens buckle up

* safely drive a carload of teens

* obey all traffic laws

* never drink and drive.

Students take the pledge during a Chief Operator assembly at their local high school. To energize the students, Elvis and The Lawman perform an original traffic safety song. Then, a uniformed police officer from the host jurisdiction poses a series of traffic safety questions to randomly selected members of the audience. But the highlight of each assembly is when students perform original traffic safety songs and skits. Encouraging students to participate begins several weeks prior to the assembly and includes a number of incentives.

Program Incentives

Tangible incentives ensure participation in both presenting individual safety messages and responding to safety questions during the assembly. Students who create a song or skit for the assembly are entered automatically in the Chief Operator program contest. The first judging panel included an executive from the Music Television Network (MTV), giving the teens an extra incentive to perform. The winning video is produced professionally. Three song winners record their work at a professional studio, and the final album is distributed to high school students locally and nationally.(4) The winners also receive cash awards and their own personalized trading cards.

Local merchants make it easy to get students to participate during the assembly. Students who correctly answer traffic safety questions receive such prizes as coupons for free food at a local restaurant, tickets to professional baseball games, and movie passes. Additional prizes - such as T-shirts, baseball caps, key chains, footballs, audio tapes, and videotapes - feature the Chief Operator logo. Every student who attends the assembly receives a buy-one-get-one-free coupon for a local fast-food restaurant.

Program Success

At the end of the 3-year grant period, the California Office of Traffic Safety determined that the Chief Operator program had met its objectives and declared it a success. Traffic statistics from the California Highway Patrol for fatal and injury-resulting collisions involving alcohol-impaired teenage drivers in the nine-county target area suggest progress. In 1992, when the Chief Operator program began, 385 separate incidents occurred. In 1995, at the conclusion of the grant period, 312 incidents were reported, an 18.9 percent reduction.(5)

In addition, teenagers in several states and even some foreign countries have embraced the program. Elvis and The Lawman have hit the road to perform in many other states and represented California law enforcement at the annual Canadian Students Against Drunk Driving conference in March 1996. Other departments have adopted the program, including the San Jose, California, Police Department, whose El Guardian program uses materials printed in Spanish to allow Spanish-speaking students to participate. The record albums remain popular, and in 1996, the Recording Industry Association of America honored the Chief Operator program with a Gold Record award for reaching so many teens.

Conclusion

Teens tend to think of themselves as invincible. They often fail to see the dangers associated with drinking and driving. Yet, traditional methods aimed at getting teens to see the light usually miss the mark.

What better way to get through to hard-to-reach teens than with a program and contest that feature professionally produced recordings and videos? The Albany, California's Chief Operator Teen Driver Program drives the point home for teens who would rather sing at a school assembly than attend their best friend's funeral.

Endnotes

1 1991 California Highway Patrol statistics compiled from the StateWide Integrated Traffic Record System, representing the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma.

2 Ibid.

3 Associated Press, "Urban Youths Hard to Reach," San Francisco Chronicle, May 28, 1992, A3.

4 To obtain this year's cassette recording or additional information on the Chief Operator program, send a request on agency letterhead to Chief Larry Murdo or Lt. William Palmini, Albany Police Department, 1000 San Pablo Avenue, Albany, California 94706.

5 California Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System.

Chief Murdo commands the Albany, California, Police Department

The True Cost of a Speeding Ticket

2005-09-24T00:33:00.000-04:00

Have you noticed more autos on the side of the road with an officer issuing the driver a speeding ticket? Have you seen more trucks surrounded by DOT transport police? I sure have. There are several reasons for this increased activity.

One is that after 9/11 many departments have increased patrols. The additional police presence is to assure the public that efforts are being taken to prevent terrorist attacks like the recent sniper killings. The other reason is that cities and states are faced with budget deficits in these tough economic times. Since traffic tickets are a politically correct form of taxation, many jurisdictions are increasing fines as a means of balancing the books.

A traffic officer will cost his department the average of $75,000 per year while he can be expected to issue between $150,000 to $200,000 in speeding ticket citations. There are few businesses that can equal that rate of return. Some towns like New Rome, Ohio and Waldo, Florida take in over 70% of their entire town budget through speeding tickets.

What does this mean to you, the safe driver who has not received a traffic citation in years? It means that you are now more likely than ever to see those dreaded blue lights flashing in your rear view. If that does happen you need to know that the true cost of a speeding ticket has changed drastically in the last few years.

Consider Mary, a successful sales representative who enjoys the perk of a company car. She travels extensively and has received four speeding tickets in the last three years. She considers herself a safe driver and in each instance was traveling with the flow of traffic on the interstate. She has 9 out of the 12 points on her driver's license. Imagine her surprise when her company's insurance carrier refused to allow Mary to drive a company car. The company obtained supplemental insurance but Mary had to pay the extra $1600.

Then there is Jeffrey, a CDL truck driver from Ohio who is an independent operator and owns his own truck. He drives 150,000 miles per year and has five tickets on his record, none a serious violation. He is unable to obtain insurance that he can afford. He is in the process of losing his truck to the finance company and does not know how he will support his family.

Families with teenagers may face an economic disaster if the teen driver receives a citation. One traffic ticket for rolling through a stop sign could cost as much as $3000 in increased premiums over the three years it remains on their record. The insurance industry considers young adults as teenagers until the age of 23.

The purpose of relating Mary and Jeffrey's stories is not for you to feel sorry for them. It is to impress upon you the severe consequences that may result from a traffic ticket. It is important to obey all traffic laws, not just for your physical protection but also for the health of your pocketbook. I have found that many people are more concerned about their pocketbook than their personal safety.

What should you do if you receive a citation? Never just pay a speeding ticket. Check with the clerk of court to see if you are eligible for traffic school, even if it is an out-of-state citation. Many states now accept online traffic school. Check to see if this is available in your state at http://www.trafficschoolonline.com/?lcode=4013

If traffic school is not available then you or your attorney need to appear in court to contest the speeding ticket. Hiring an attorney may be your cheapest option when you consider the additional cost of you insurance. Check with your insurance agent to find out the consequences of the original charge being entered on your driving record. The American Bar Association says: "The best way for the majority of Americans to be able to assure themselves of legal assistance when they need it... is through a prepaid legal plan." For nationwide legal services contact http://www.prepaidlegal.com/info/carolynpatterson

Drive safe and stay out of the "No Zone." Remember if you got it a truck brought it.

The author is not an attorney and this is not legal advice.

About the Author

Wayne Patterson is former police office, trucking company owner, and webmaster of http://www.speedingticketcentral.com

Save Money On Auto Insurance For Your Teen Son

2005-09-23T00:21:00.000-04:00

Your son has just obtained his license and with that a new found sense of freedom. Now you ask how to get cheap auto insurance for my son ? Car insurances can vary dramatically in price so read on to learn how to buy car insurance that is affordable for your teen drivers.

Because teens lack driving experience insurers consider them a high risk to insure and thus the premiums assigned are much higher than an adults insurance rates would be. There are a few things you can do to help reduce the rates you pay for your teen drivers.

First you need to stress to them how important it is for them to keep a clean driving record. That means driving safely - no speeding tickets, no traffic violations, and no accidents. Over a period of time there safe driving will be rewarded with lower premiums.

You can also reduce their rates by purchasing insurance with a higher deductible. The higher the deductible is the lower the premium is.

If you are going to be purchasing a vehicle for your teen choose a vehicle that is built well with extra safety features, and do not choose a vehicle that falls into a sports class or higher risk rating class. Be sure to check the class the vehicle falls into.

The graduated licensing laws have come into effect in most states in the USA and some provinces in Canada. The rules will vary from one location to another but the basic underlying philosophy is to restrict new drivers by limiting what their license will allow them to do.

They may be issued a full auto license such as a class 5 but there is usually a letter designation behind it to indicate they are a new driver. These new drivers have nighttime driving restrictions, vehicle occupant restrictions, and a 0 alcohol tolerance restriction to name just a few. They will also be required to take an additional test after a specific period of time to remove them from the new driver programmer.

But you're still wondering where to get cheap auto insurance for my son? Teenage drivers can dramatically reduce the cost of insurance by purchasing a stand alone policy from an agency that specializes in providing teen insurance. A stand alone policy means they are not added as an additional driver on your insurance but rather carry their own insurance.

These insurance companies reduce their risk for insuring teens by placing certain concessions on the driving habits of them. They may require driving school, no driving after dark, or various other restrictions which allow them to keep the premiums lower for teen drivers.

The statistics for teen drivers aren't good. A 16 year old driver is 10 times more likely to get into an accident than an adult between the ages of 30 and 59, so you can see why insurance companies are hesitant to provide good rates.

The best thing you can do for your teenager and his or her insurance rates is to teach responsibility and make them accountable. Make them earn your trust for the use of the car, and make them accountable to pay at least a portion of their insurance premiums. They can do this by working a part time job which also breeds maturity, so it's a win-win all the way.

You and your teenager are thrilled with the new found freedom for both of you. So now you need to do your homework and research teen insurance rates so you can get them on the road. What are you waiting for?

About the Author

Sher has been serving customers for over 20 years as a freelance writer and has been offering information and advice to the consumer. To find out how to save on your auto insurance Please visit us at http://www.all-auto-insurance.com/

Steering the course: with a little hands-on training—and a lot of patience—you can help your teen become a safer, smarter driver

2005-09-22T01:25:00.000-04:00

Every year, teens across the country pass their driver's education courses at school and earn a license. But that doesn't necessarily mean they're ready to get behind the wheel.

"Really, the driving exam is a screening exam. It only screens out the very worst," says Bella Dinh-zarr, Ph.D., national director of traffic safety policy for the American Automobile Association in Washington, D.C.

The truth is, in the hands of teens, cars are far more deadly than firearms. Motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of death and injury for teenagers, claiming the lives of more than 5,500 in 2001.

When it comes to reducing risky driving behavior by teens, parents hold the keys.

Researchers from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development have shown that when parents set limits and take an active interest in teaching their teens to drive, the risky behavior that leads to accidents is greatly reduced.

Teaching your teen to drive will take planning, patience, and time. Even if the law in your state doesn't require it, experts say that parents should aim to get in 50 hours of supervised driving with their teenager in the first six months after she gets a learner's permit. All this time driving together can be exhausting, frustrating, and nerve-racking. But if you make that investment, the reward is incalculable.

If you're going to teach your teen to drive or supplement the training he'll get in a school program, the first thing you need to do is locate a big, empty parking lot.

"The road is not the best place to learn how to drive. The parking lot is," says Carl Kircher, a former race car driver and veteran racing instructor who runs the nonprofit Xtreme Measures teen driving program in the 800,O00-square-foot parking lot at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Kircher suggests a three-part training course in the lot where you choose to train your kid.

Part 1: Here your new driver will learn the basics: steering, accelerating, and braking. Pretend that the parking lanes are the road, and have your teenager drive to the end of the lane, come to a stop, put on the turn signal, look both ways, and turn. That way, he or she can begin to understand how much steering it takes to negotiate the corner, Kircher says.

Part 2: Once your teen masters the basics, Kircher suggests taking a half-dozen soda cans (fill them with water or sand so an errant breeze won't blow them away) to the parking lot and spacing them about 50 feet apart. Have your teen drive in and out of the path of the cans, then turn around at the end and drive back through in the other direction.

Part 3: Set a boundary--say a particular parking lane--then have your young driver accelerate to 30 miles per hour and attempt to stop with enough precision to line the front bumper up with the designated line. This will help your teen learn how much braking it takes to bring the car to a halt.

Following these parking lot sessions, you can venture out onto a country road, preferably one with little oncoming traffic. Gradually work your way up to busier roads and higher speeds, but don't rush it.

TAKING TO THE STREETS

Once you're on the road, your young driver is going to face a complicated set of rules and variables. Traffic situations that you take for granted are going to leave your kid flustered and frustrated. How you respond as a backseat driver can make all the difference in developing a confident, accident-free driver. Here are some tips to bear in mind:

Remember the 3 Ps. Planning, patience, and a positive attitude: Repeat these words to yourself before heading out on the road, and be sure to follow them. Plan specific skills you want your young driver to work on for each session; be patient as he makes mistakes and learns from them; and maintain a positive attitude in the car.

Set a timer Dinh-zarr recommends limiting driving sessions to an hour or less. "Your patience probably wears thin as a parent anyway," she says.

Think about how your driver learns. Hey, she's your kid. More than anyone else, you probably have a better idea how she learns and processes information.

"People's learning curves are a lot different. Someone who learns a lot slower or doesn't have as much natural ability can still be as successful as someone with a lot of natural ability," says Danny McKeever, a former professional race car driver who runs Fast Lane, the official racing school of Toyota Motorsports at Willow Springs International Raceway in Rosamond, California. "They might just take a little longer to learn."

Stay inside the comfort zone. "Positive reinforcement is so important," Kircher says. "People have a tendency to push teen drivers too hard, too fast. And the only result is that they feel uncomfortable. Put them in a situation that doesn't put them at risk from a confidence level."

Accept the inevitability of mistakes. Of course your kids are going to make mistakes. The key here is how you help them learn from those mistakes. Remember, you're trying to build their confidence. Yelling that they're going to kill you isn't exactly going to help.

"Rather than say, 'You did this wrong and you did that wrong,' try saying, 'Well, that was all right, but let's try something different in that situation,'" Kircher suggests.

MAKING A PACT

A National Institute of Child Health and Human Development study suggests that spelling out an agreement in writing is actually one of the keys to successfully teaching your teenager to drive. This agreement should clearly lay out the expectations and responsibilities of both the parent and teen, says McKeever. Here are some topics that experts recommend covering in an agreement with your teen:

* Truth or consequences

Your teenager must tell you specifically where he or she is going when taking the car. "If you tell me you're going to Tom's, I don't want to find out you didn't go to Tom's," Kircher says.

* An incentive plan

"There should be incentives for the first 12 months that they don't get a ticket," suggests Jeff Payne, a driving instructor and former race car driver who founded Driver's Edge, a nonprofit organization based in Las Vegas that teaches defensive driving and accident avoidance skills to teens. The flip side is that if your teen does get a ticket in the first six months, driving privileges are forfeited for the next six months. The consequences should be spelled out in the agreement.

* Drinking and driving

In study after study, more than one in three teens reported that in the past month they had ridden with a driver who had been drinking alcohol. One in six teens reported having driven after drinking alcohol within the same one-month period.

You may be convinced that your teenager isn't drinking. "But even the best kid makes bad decisions," says Payne. Consider making a pledge that you will pick up your teen anytime, anywhere, no questions asked, if he calls for a ride home.

* Passenger prohibitions

Having other teens as passengers in the car increases crash risk, Dinh-zarr says. "Parents often don't think about it because teenagers often ride with other teenagers. But that's a dangerous situation." Your agreement should spell out how many, if any, passengers your teen can carry.

* Curfew

In 2000, 41 percent of teen motor vehicle deaths occurred between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. So even if your state doesn't limit what time your teen can drive at night, you should. AAA recommends a curfew of 10 p.m. or 11 p.m., Dinh-zarr says.

* Seat belts

Teens have the lowest rate of seat belt use compared with other age groups. "Stress the importance of wearing seat belts," Dinh-zarr says. "Seat belts have been proven to reduce the risk of death by 45 percent. And this is the group that is most likely to get into a crash." Required use could easily be a part of your agreement.

* Good grades

You might want to consider adding a clause requiring your teen to maintain good grades during the first year or so of driving. "Grades have always been a biggie for me," Kircher says. "I made a contract with my kids to get good grades. That's their job. And they've done fabulously. Never had a problem."

VISION QUEST

ONE OF THE FIRST SKILLS YOUR TEEN DRIVER SHOULD MASTER IS THE VISION SCAN. CARL KIRCHER, WHO RUNS THE XTREME MEASURES TEEN DRIVING PROGRAM IN ATLANTA, OFFERS THIS DRILL.

Look at the left outside mirror, then move your eyes right across to the rearview mirror, and over to the right outside mirror. Keep your eyes moving back and forth across that plane, looking through the top half of the windshield.

"You then begin to see far enough ahead to see what's going on so you can anticipate what's going to happen," Kircher says.

To train your teenager to use the vision scan technique and be aware of what's going on around them in the car, ask questions when you ride along. Kircher suggests the following:

* "What's the color of the car behind you?"

* "What did that sign say that we just passed?"

* "What's the color of the car four cars ahead?"

Soon, looking down the road and being aware of what's going on will become second nature for your teen driver.

GO-KART TRAINING

TEACHING TEENAGERS TO DRIVE CAN ACTUALLY BEGIN WELL BEFORE THEY TURN 16

"Taking a little kid down to a go-cart track teaches them how a vehicle operates," says Jeff Payne, who runs the Driver's Edge teen driving program in Las Vegas.

"A lot of parents might not even think of that, but young kids who go out to go-cart races are going to be better prepared than 90 percent of these other kids when they get their licenses because they'll understand how a vehicle operates at its limit and have a little more respect for it."

RESOURCES

* AAA offers a program called "Teaching Your Teens to Drive," which features a video or CD and a handbook that contains specific lessons and a sample parent-teen contract. Call 800/327-3444 to order.

* Information on Jeff Payne's Driver's Edge program based in Las Vegas can be found at www.driversedge.org.

* For more on Carl Kircher's Xtreme Measures program, go to www.xtrememeasures.org.

* Information on Danny McKeever's FAST LANE Teen Scene program can be found at www.raceschool.com.

Jack Croft

Driver Education - Auto Insurance Tip

2005-09-20T09:09:00.000-04:00

Please welcome Ispas Marin from California's Online Driver Education Class who has written the below article to help us raise the awareness of insurance related to driver education. Helping raise road awareness is something we do at Auto Safety Magnets.

From the beginning, starting with your first contact with whatever is connected to driving and cars, you must have heard of the utmost important aspect:the car insurance. To a certain extent the driver education must deal with this aspect which is vital for the driver and the car in itself.

There are many companies specialized in this field but you should know that there are many of them which make certain advantageous offers such as discounts for the good grades As and Bs, yet, for that you need to qualify;you should get in touch with your insurance company for it.Some discounts are given also for the application for some driver programs, these being quite advantageous too.

In addition, if you can make a choice, replace the new teen driver or family driver on the oldest and least expensive automobile. This can and will save you the rates. Whenever thinking about buying a new or second-hand car, make sure you get in touch with your insurance company to see if the rate will suit you and your finances. It is likely for you, without checking with the insurance company, to think over a car which is too expensive for you or just not suitable. As general piece of information, you should know that sports cars or other high-cost cars are due to have higher rates, thus disabling you to pay in time. It is also important to know what you buy. If you want to buy a car, it is utmost necessary to know what that car can do. These technical aspects can be revealed to you by means of a driver education course or just specialized magazines, provided you already bear the basic information.

Another aspect is the one related to the crash safety rating, because a percentage is given to every car according to this issue. You should always know how safe is the car you are driving, how well it can protect you. As well as the other aspects, you can learn this from the driver education course. In the unfortunate case of an accident, you should be aware of the average cost to repair it, in the case of the one-side insurance. If you want to replace your insurance check the rates of a greater number of companies because they vary from one company to another. Furthermore, every driver education course introduces the idea of the necessity to keep a camera with you in case an accident may occur;you could register the damage of all cars and the real placement. There are cases when the actual victim is found responsible for the simple fact that there are a lot of ideas and beliefs which alter the truth of an accident. A camera may come in hand if you get involved in a minor accident;you may want to get your car fixed without reporting it to the company. For a teenager, even a minor accident may lead to an increase in the rates, or maybe even more.

California's Online Driver Education Class. Driver Education Course Accepted by the California DMV Driver Education

Keywords: Driver Education Online,Driver Education,California Driver Education

About the Author
Ispas Marin,
netmarketingli@yahoo.com
Learn more at
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Teens or Seniors - Who are the worst drivers?

2005-09-19T21:41:00.000-04:00

Please welcome Jeannie Davila from CarInsurance.Com who has written the below article to help us raise the awareness of both the teen and senior driver. Helping raise road awareness is something we do at Auto Safety Magnets.

There are two different groups of drivers that are considered the most dangerous on the road, the teens and seniors. The teens are young and are beginning to drive. They are learning about the rules that need to be followed on the road. There are also the seniors which even though they have more experience, their response time decreases significantly. By taking a look at the negative aspects of bad driving in each group we can come up with a conclusion of who is the worst driver - teens or seniors?

Seniors are the most experienced in driving, but with age they start loosing their senses. Hearing and lost of eyesight are the two major senses that people within the senior age group start loosing. The response time for seniors is longer thus making them less reliable. Their memory tends to be shorter as well.

Seniors usually do have more time to travel to their destination but because of the loss of senses and memory capabilities they get lost. This leads to a confusion that causes accidents, making them less reliable on the road.

Teens are beginning to drive they are trying to cope with school, work and rules. Teens have all of these issues to work with and not enough time to place them in order or to prioritize them. Teens sometimes are unable to decide right from wrong. Teens can be immature and do not have enough experience to figure out quick decisions and that all the responsibility that is needed to be structured in order to have a better and safe environment system on the road.

Teens are under peer pressure. This pressure can get them involved in street car racing to prove to others who is tougher. This is a game that only ends up being dangerous to all with consequences that leads to nothing but sadness to all of us that care because teens can hurt themselves, others that are racing or even unsuspecting passer-bys.

Teens are also into customizing their vehicle. Customizing can void or destroy most of the safety features the vehicle was built with originally. Teens are also a risk on the road because they also want to have fun. The teens do not think of the consequences of what their driving can do. Some teens drink alcohol and use drugs and still take off driving thus putting at risk all of us on the road.

Music is a big effect on teens. They listen to music that stimulates the brain and distracts them making the teen drivers less reliable on the road getting carry away. Teens are also distracting with calls on cell phones while driving. While a more experienced driver might be okay taking a call teens don't yet have the experience to deal with this extra item that takes away their focus on driving.

Another factor I must add is when teens are traveling in groups they tend to distract each other causing the driver to loss the focus on the road and that is when fatal accidents occurred. Teens have fatal accidents due to careless driving every year.

Think about the issues I discussed for both seniors and teenagers. Both groups have different sets of concerns. Both can make driving difficult on the road for us. Now I ask you, who are the worst drivers Teens or Seniors?

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Jeannie Davila is a representative of CarInsurance.com. You can visit CarInsurance.com at http://www.carinsurance.com or contact them at 1-877-327-8728. CarInsurance.com's online insurance marketplace gives an opportunity to consumers and to insurance companies. We offer the ability to shop for car insurance online. Consumers can receive quotes from many insurance companies, in some states you are able to purchase your insurance instantly, online. You don't have to drive your car to buy car insurance. Buy online... anytime!

Sensible Ways Of Avoiding Car Accidents

2005-09-18T18:36:00.000-04:00

We found the following article by Jinky C. Mesias to be right on target regargind teen drivers. Caution and related issues that we discuss continually at Auto Safety Magnets. We hope you will feel the same way.

Most car accidents are caused by impulsive teenage drivers who treat the road as their own race tracks. The simple logical reason for this is that teenagers have lesser driving experience and therefore are most likely to commit traffic violations which often times lead to vehicular accidents. In order to guide teenagers as well as adult drivers in avoiding future car accidents, this article will tackle some easy to follow steps of avoiding car accidents.

To start with, it is always practical and sensible to check for incoming cars twice before pulling into an intersection at a stop sign. Following this simple rule may actually save lives since there are cases wherein accidents happen simply because the driver neglected to look in both ways of the intersection and then bang- ACCIDENT!

Backing out in a parking area to some may be a simple matter however did you know that accident may also occur while you're backing out your car? The most common car accident involved in this kind of situation is the rear-end collision since it is very common in parking areas wherein two cars opposite of each other leaving or pulling out of the area at the same time and then COLLISION!- that is why it is of great importance to look behind you before backing out of the parking place to avoid accidents.

The next avoiding car accident rule is to watch out for rushing cars through intersections especially at the end of a red light. And also, beware of those cars that try to beat the red light and also those cars that try to make it through the intersection on the yellow light since such cars are likely to meet accident once caught in the intersection the moment the traffic light turns green. These kinds of scenarios are the most common and happen all the time.

The next rule can be considered a basic rule in driving and which is to look left and right before making a right-hand turn. One of the common mistakes committed by drivers when making a right-hand turn especially in an intersection is the habit of looking left until the traffic is clear before entering the intersection, well there is nothing wrong with this since the traffic is from the left. However, the right side of the intersection will also have various things going on which you as a driver must also be aware of such as a fast incoming car who tries to beat you in entering the intersection and then hit your car as you right-hand turn on the intersection.

Another, thing to remember is to watch out for cars that are pulling trailers especially in an intersection. There are some instances especially when you're in a hurry that you neglect to look at the entirety of the vehicle crossing and then realizing too late that there is a trailer behind after crashing into it. And also, in switching lanes on a highway always check for a clear lane before switching lanes. Moreover, be very careful when you are driving close to trucks and never overtake on the right side of the truck since the driver won't be able to see you passing. This is probably one of the dumbest things however if your reason for doing such is to commit suicide that's another thing. And lastly, try to limit your speed especially when you're in a neighborhood full of children, remember little kids have this habit of playing in the street so please be very careful and always be alert when driving.
About The Author:

Jinky C. Mesias is a lover of simple things and of nature. She spends most of her time reading and writing poetry. For comments and suggestions about the article kindly log on to http://www.caraccidentlawyerpros.com

Teen Drivers: Are They Ready?

2005-06-24T23:56:00.000-04:00

In the United States of America, the accident rate per mile for drivers in the 16-19 age group is four times higher than among older drivers. What is even more frightening is that the youngest drivers are the most dangerous. The accident rate per mile for 16-year-old drivers is three times higher than for 19-year-old drivers.

Let's look at more figures. More than 20% of all traffic deaths occurred when a teenager was driving the car, and more than 60% of teenage passenger deaths occurred when another teenager was driving the car.

So the question remains: Are teen drivers ready?

Simply put, the answer is no.

A driver's perception of his driving skills greatly affects how they behave on the road. Think about it. This rule applies all the time. Take skateboarding for example. Compare an amateur against a professional. Obviously the professional will participate in more stunts than the amateur, and the likelihood of an accident would be higher in the latter.

And this may not be their fault. A recent series of studies reported some very interesting findings. Teens may not be able to help it when they take risks. It’s how their brains are wired.

Scientists have found that the region of the brain that inhibits risky behavior does not fully form until the person is 25-years-old. That means that a 16-year-old driver is seriously not ready to perceive the risks of driving a car. And they really cannot help it. No amount of teaching, training and practicing can help them.

This is especially true when the teen is around his friends. When he drives alone, he most likely would not take any significant risks, but around friends, he ran more traffic lights.

Well, what then, can be done?

There are a few options:

1. Limit the number of passengers in a teen’s car.
It can be made a law to prevent the number of passengers in a teen’s car from going above a certain limit. As the study has shown, more friends in the car lead to more risk-taking, and thus more accidents. The inverse accordingly is true.

2. Ban cell-phone usage in a car.
A test was once conducted like this. There were two groups of people who had to press a button when a light flashed in front of them. The only difference is that in the first group, there were no distractions while in the second, they were allowed to chat with a friend on a cell-phone. Those using the cell phones were more likely to not notice the flash than those who had nothing to distract them.

3. Raise the driving age to 18.
Legislators have begun to consider raising the legal driving age to 18, and this will be a very good move. Many countries around the world have a much higher legal driving age than the United States, and the percentage of casualties in countries with a similar road safety standard as the United States are definitely lower.

All three options are definitely effective, though, they may face much opposition. Firstly, Teenagers want to drive a car. A car is a status of freedom and independence. Secondly, it would be difficult to enforce such rules like banning cell-phone usage or limiting the number of passengers in a teen’s car. However, the advantages of enforcing these three options undeniably outweigh the disadvantages.

About the Author:
Daniel Loh is a freelance author and internet enthusiast. He is also interested in benefiting the community, spurring him on to write articles on a variety of topics, including car and road safety.

Find out more about Auto Safety here.

Or, visit his website here.

Raising the Teen Driving Age to 18

2005-04-30T13:57:00.000-04:00

This article is designed to raise the concern about teen driving fatalities and what can be done to drastically reduce this alarming statistic. While this article may be sensitive to some readers in certain industries, we would like to raise the question as to what can be done to make our teens better drivers and how to alert others on the road that a new driver is behind the wheel.

Our previous article raised the question of whether the driving age in the country needs to be raised to age 18. With more teen fatalities on the road each year than the amount of deaths reported from 9/11, we must consider changes to our laws governing teen driving. From another perspective one could say that the number of teen deaths on the roads in the U.S. are greater than the number of deaths reported of U.S. soldiers before and after the war in Iraq! Are our roads a war zone?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 3,657 drivers aged 15 to 20 years killed in 2003. In 2002, the number killed in the same age range was 3,827. While one would never make light of 9/11, let us consider the amount of energy, government changes, money, war - to name just a few - put forth after 9/11. If only a fraction of this energy had been given to the teen driving problem, perhaps we could have reduced teen driving related deaths in 2002 and 2003 – a staggering total of 7,484.

Following is a combined statement from
- Gordon Booth, Chief Instructor of Drivetrain, Inc. in California, http://www.drivetrainusa.com, and
- Eddie Wren of Drive and Stay Alive in New York, http://www.driveandstayalive.com, regarding our teen driving problem:
“Research in several countries has shown not only that the younger people are when they start to drive the higher the chances of having a serious or fatal crash within the first year of driving, but also that a young person's brain is not fully developed until after the teenage years have passed, and that this, in turn, also reduces a young person's abilities as a safe driver.

Wisdom and any genuine desire to protect young people both undeniably dictate that it is better if teenagers do not start to drive until they are at least 17 or preferably 18 years old.

It is noticeable that if parents can hold back a female for 6 months or more, so they do not start driving until 17 or 18, then one sees them mature at least 12 months. With males a hold back of about a year equals a maturity increase of about 6 months.”

Inexperience, risk taking behavior, and immaturity are cited as primary reasons for these accidents. Increasing the driving age to 18 would not necessarily change all three primary reasons. Therefore, we must consider other possible solutions as well, such as the driving education process itself.

Driver Education Comparison

Comparing our driver education process with other countries is an important step in exploring possible solutions. Using Germany as an example, we were able to obtain the following information directly from the German driving school online at http://www.fahrschule.de

First you must be at least 18 years of age.

After you have completed the driver education course and school you are on probation for 2 years. During these 2 years a lesser driving violation would require you to re-take the driver education course. A more serious driving violation would call for your driver’s license to be revoked. In either case when your driver’s license has been granted once again you will be on probation for 4 years.

The driver training course covers almost 28 hours of classroom education followed by 35 hours of driving school on the road to cover varying conditions of day, night and autobahn experience with an instructor.

The above only covers a small portion of the driving laws in Germany. It is evident, however, that the United States does not have these requirements.

How to drive a car?

Teen driver’s aside, it is reasonable to suggest that many adults who have had their driver’s license for years are not knowledgeable enough on how to drive a car. They may be traffic regulation experienced, but what about actually using the vehicle? During the driver education process we should include how to handle a car under different conditions -- road conditions for rain, snow, ice, what to do if you have to slam on the brakes at higher speeds, sudden unexpected responses requiring split second decisions, how to handle the automatic and manual transmissions – to name just a few.

This type of training can be performed in driver simulation courses that are currently available from RoadSafety.Com (http://www.roadsafety.com). Larry Selditz, President of RoadSafety.Com had this to tell us:

“For the past 18 months we have been involved in a research and development project to bring effective vehicle simulation to novice drivers and others. While simulators have been around for years, the operative word here is “effective”, science-based simulation. We recently completed the Research and Development phase of this project and are now in the process of helping to develop a cost effective commercially viable simulation product. One of our Vice Presidents, Mr. Fred Craft, is forming a new company utilizing the technology we helped develop. Fred is an industry expert in advanced vehicle simulation and I believe he would be an ideal contact for input for your article. I have forwarded a copy of your email to Fred.

I have always been a strong advocate of training and believe it is a key component to developing safe driving SKILLS. That is exactly what a simulator can help achieve. Our vehicle and driver monitoring system, a “black box”, is the key to developing safe driving HABITS. As my friend Ron Thackery, Vice President of Risk and Safety for American Medical Response, once told me “what you monitor you can control – what you don’t, you won’t”. That applies to teenagers as well as paramedics. American Medical response operates the largest fleet of ambulances in the world and uses our black box to control and improve driver performance. The same principles that have reduced the number of ambulance crashes by more than 90% are used in the “black box” we developed for teenage drivers.”

Economic Implications

The primary industries affected by increasing the driving age to 18 are the automotive manufacturers, auto insurance, gas and driving education companies. This basically covers the largest firms within the auto industry.

The automotive manufacturers would only see a delay in purchases by a factor of three years and only for the first three years that the driving age was raised to 18. Most 18 year olds would receive their driver’s licenses during the summer after graduating from high school.

The auto insurance companies would hopefully gain revenues by not having to pay out insurance claims due to car accidents created by the 15 – 18 old teens. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates approximately 300,000 motor vehicle crashes resulting in injuries for this age group per year, which is above the figures for the fatalities mentioned earlier in this article. Therefore, auto insurance industry would have a gain from raising the age limit and not having to pay out 900,000 claims from car accidents over a three year period from age 15 to 18.

Gasoline companies would see a reduction in their revenues with the reduction of gasoline usage. Whether 15 – 18 year old drivers generate a significant impact upon the revenues of gasoline companies is unsubstantiated as of this writing. However, it would be safe to surmise some level of reduction would be apparent. The reduction of emissions would indeed benefit our planet.

Driving schools would see the most significant impact. Short term they would lose business for the first 3 years. Those three years could be used, however, to help provide them support by both State and Federal governments. The amount of financial effort that has been put forth after 9/11 against terrorist continues to question if only a fraction could be used in this effort to help save our teenagers. During these three years, assisting them to prepare courses should be considered. Long term the driving schools would actually fair better as they would have more hours per student to charge.

Affects upon the Family

For parents with new teen drivers with permit licenses going through a state Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program, there will be no affect in the initial implementation of changing the driving age to 18. Parents with teens that have their operators license and who have allowed their teens to drive on their own will most likely find themselves having to continue to “chauffeur” their 16 – 18 year old teens to their various activities. While precious time would be encumbered, you can get comfort from the fact that your teen is still alive, your car is not damaged from an auto accident and your insurance has not doubled because of a teen driver on the policy.

What if we do not change the driving age?

I have a philosophy that the difference between utopia and reality is a choice. A choice by an individual or a group to make a change or move in a different direction. The statistics about teen driving require a change. If changing the driving age to 18 is too big of a leap today, then we can take smaller steps to help teens have better education and understand how to drive a car instead of blindly using a deadly weapon.

We need to review what the driving schools are asked to teach the students. The requirements need to include not only traffic safety, but car driving training under differing conditions. The number of hours required behind the wheel should equal the number of hours required for the course, which is currently around 30 hours. Parents would spend more money to achieve this, but the additional cost is insignificant compared to the lives of their loved ones.

Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) should be a requirement nationwide and include a probationary period for all new drivers to last through age 18. Traffic violations during the probationary period should require re-taking the driver education course -not with adults that are in a defensive driving course, but with other teens. Asking the teen to re-take driver education through the same school they received their initial education would be a consideration. Tracking the teens that re-take driver education and the driving schools they attend would also help understand if there is a driving school that may not be properly educating the teens.

Driving school vehicles are always well marked while students are driving on the main roads. Unfortunately, that requirement does not extend to the family vehicle for new drivers in a GDL program. All family vehicles with a new teen driver should be required to have at least one label on the back of the car while the teen is driving and through age 18.

Bumper stickers are not always practical when a teen is occasionally driving the car and stick-on vinyl to the window does not address night-time driving issues. The technology exists today to use car magnets that are thick, reflective for the night and are durable. These types of car magnets can be found at Auto Safety Magnets. http://www.autosafetymagnets.com Identifying these almost 2 million vehicles on the road should be a requirement on a national level.

In Conclusion

We hope the above information was helpful to address the problems, the need, and identify options if the driving age remained status quo or if it were raised. We hope the information was comprehensive to show the economic implications and the hindrances to raising the driving age. With these alarming statistics why have state and federal governments, as well as, the automotive industry jumped to the rescue? Have financial issues during hard economic times been put ahead of our youth? We have to "cowboy-up" to a resolution about this national problem.

Teen Driving Statistics

2005-03-18T17:42:00.000-05:00

As a parent, if you search for any information about Teen Driving Statistics you will find statistics similar to those below. I have reviewed various websites to summarize the information from these sources, however, please feel free to search the web for “teen driving statistics” for more websites and information on this subject.

The information allows us to ponder if teen driving needs to be revisited on a national level. How are teen drivers being educated by driving schools? Do we need to increase the amount of time for driver training? How about requiring higher levels of car driving education (not just traffic education, but how do drive a car education)? Should driver’s licenses only be issued at age 18? What are the economic implications to increasing the driving age? We will visit these questions in the next article. For now we need to understand what is happening on our roads today.

We know that the current requirements for driver education are not sufficient. Both commercially and by parents. We can add that a younger age teen is not mature enough to control a vehicle and might as well be considered to be driving a deadly weapon. Teens with permit licenses are driving with their parents in an unmarked family vehicle only increase the likelihood of accidents. Using car magnets that are thick, reflective for the night and are durable can help reduce this likelihood. These types of auto safety magnets can be found at Auto Safety Magnets. Identifying these almost 2 million vehicles on the road should be a requirement on a national level.

As parents we must take the responsibility of protecting our children. Should you reconsider your decision the next time your teen asks to take the car?

The Facts from reliable Sources

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

In 2003, 3,657 (3,827 in 2002) drivers 15 to 20 years old were killed, and an additional 308,000 (324,000 in 2002) were injured, in motor vehicle crashes. Nearly 31 percent of teen drivers killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2003 had been drinking and 74 percent of this group was not wearing their safety belts.

National Safety Council

In 2000, 6,495 people between the ages of 15 and 20 were killed in motor vehicle crashes—the leading cause of death for this age group. And although young drivers represent only 6.6% of the nation's licensed drivers, they are involved in 14.8% of fatal crashes. The National Safety Council urges all parents to familiarize themselves with the risks associated with young, inexperienced drivers.

Traffic crashes are the number one cause of death among children and young adults.

More than 3,800 young drivers age 15-20 are killed every year in traffic crashes.

More than 326,000 young drivers are injured.

Young drivers are involved in fatal traffic crashes at over twice the rate as the rest of the population.

Exceeding the posted speed limit or driving at an unsafe speed is the most common error in fatal accidents.

About 30% of crashes killing young drivers involve alcohol.

More than 1,000 young drivers lose their lives every year in crashes because of an impaired driver... be it themselves, or someone else.

Sean Mullsteff Teen Driving Foundation

The number one cause of death for 15-20 year olds is car collisions.

This age group makes up 7% of licensed drivers, but suffers 14% of fatalities and 20% of all reported collisions.

53% of teen driver deaths occur on weekends.

Teen drivers killed in motor vehicle collisions had a youth passenger in the automobile 45% of the time.

In 2002, The National Center for Statistics and Analysis reported that 8,278 adolescents (ages 15-20) were involved in fatal crashes.

324,000 teens were injured in collisions in 2002.

65% of teen passenger deaths occur with a teen driving.

Teen lifestyle of staying up late make teen drivers a high risk to have an automobile collision due to drowsiness.

More than any age group, teens are likely to be involved in a single vehicle crash.

Melih Oztalay, CEO
Auto Safety Magnets
www.autosafetymagnets.com

Parents of Teen Drivers

2005-03-07T22:52:00.000-05:00

After the Driving School

So, what does a parent think while sitting in the passenger seat and their teen is driving with a permit license? A “bump” in the parking lot with another car? Traffic tickets for moving violations? Insurance rates sky-rocketing?

If you visit search engines you can find several resources to assist you on this subject. Try searching on the phrase “parents with teen drivers”. Alternatively we have tried to make this easy for you if you visit our news page on this very topic.

A few resources on the web for parents are:

Parent-Teen Contract
You might also consider using a driving safety contract between you and your teen. This is an agreement that your child signs, in which he agrees to be a safe driver by following all restrictions you have imposed or risk losing his driving privileges. An example of this can be found at:
http://www.ipromiseprogram.com/

Talk It Out
Work with your teen driver to talk through their thought process while driving. Let’s not over-do this to the point that they cannot concentrate on driving. More specifics can be found in the book for parents at:
http://www.safeyoungdrivers.com/

Helpful thoughts for parents in brief are:

Drive by example

Watch your emotional response while your teen is driving

Work with your teen on various driving conditions, not just dry sunny days.

Large open fields or empty parking lots are good sources for practicing

Of course while you’re working with your teen driver and their permit license, we have to keep the drivers around us in mind too. Auto Safety Magnets has a focus strictly on car safety for teen drivers, their parents and driving schools. Our magnets will increase road awareness and traffic safety. Help keep the roads safe for you and other drivers. We also invite you to sign-up for our free newsletter covering Driving Schools, Car Safety and Teen Drivers at our website.

More information about the above can be found at:
www.essortment.com
www.keepkidshealthy.com

Melih Oztalay, CEO
Auto Safety Magnets
www.autosafetymagnets.com

Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) for Teen Drivers

2005-02-25T15:59:00.000-05:00

The crash risk is highest for drivers 16 years of age due to their immaturity and limited driving experience. A series of five research papers published in a September 2002 supplement of Injury Prevention address reducing the crash risk among young drivers. The papers make a compelling case for graduated driver licensing (GDL), the system of laws and practices that gradually introduce young drivers into the driving population.

Graduated Driver License programs can be found in 31 states around the country. The GDL program permit young drivers to safely gain driving experience before obtaining full driving privileges and are generally targeted towards 14 – 17 year old teen drivers.

Most states require an adult with a valid driver’s license be present when the teen is driving. Additionally the teen driver is required to enroll in a certified Drivers Ed course and must hold a learner’s permit for at least 3 – 6 months before taking an “operators driving license” test.

It is during these 3 – 6 months when teen drivers with learner’s permits mostly drive the family vehicle with their parents. While GDL programs allow the teen driver to gain experience in a family vehicle with a parent, other drivers are not aware who is behind the wheel of this vehicle.

Notifying other drivers will give them the ability to consider choices when approaching a vehicle operated by a teen driver. We can increase traffic safety and awareness. Car magnets have become a viable possibility as the notification tool. Easy to put on and easy to take off! No hassles or concerns about permanent bumper stickers that may not come off.

Auto Safety Magnets has a focus strictly on car safety for teen drivers, their parents and driving schools. Help keep the roads safe.

More information on the GDL subject can be found at the Center for Disease Control and this web page: http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/duip/research/youngdrivers.htm

Melih Oztalay, CEO
Auto Safety Magnets
www.autosafetymagnets.com

Saving Teen Lives

2005-02-21T12:04:00.000-05:00

The National Highway and Traffic Safety estimates that of the 26 million 15 - 20 year olds, 7500 of them will be involved in "fatal" car accidents. Of the reasons cited are inexperience, risk taking behavior and immaturity. All of these lead to a greater exposure for car accidents.

The fact is, automobile accidents are a serious problem for teenagers. Safety experts are trying to change that by educating teens about the choices they make when they get behind the wheel or ride in a vehicle with other teens.

Educating teens when they are behind the wheel is important. I am suggesting we also need to inform and make other drivers aware of who is driving the vehicle, increasing road awareness and traffic safety through information. Let other drivers have the option to drive defensively with car safety magnets.

We have to utilize all methods available and consider driving safety for everyone on the road.

Please submit your experiences and thoughts on this matter. You can also stay tuned for further driving safety related information related to Teens and Mature drivers

Melih Oztalay, CEO
Auto Safety Magnets
www.autosafetymagnets.com