Part of parenting teens is the stress of when they become "of age to drive." Depending on your teenager, they are either counting down the days or could care less. Most are counting down the days. Driving a car is a serious consideration and parents need to do their homework, as well as the teenager before they get behind the wheel.
Safe Teen Driving Club is one of several organizations that are designed to help you get ready for this big step into adulthood. Crash Proof Your Kids, by Timothy C. Smith, is an excellent book to help prepare you.
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Fatality Analysis Reporting System collected the following data about teenage drivers:
- Crashes are the leading cause of death among 16- to 19-year-olds.
- The majority of teenage passenger deaths occur when another teen is driving.
- Two-thirds of teens killed in motor vehicle crashes are male.
- Among teenage drivers, alcohol is a factor in 23 percent of fatal accidents involving males, 10 percent of fatal accidents involving females.
- More than half of the teenage motor vehicle deaths occur on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Of those deaths, 41 percent occur between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.
- Is my youngster ready to drive?
- Driving safety - how to avoid accidents
- Setting realistic and effective driving rules
- How to pay for driver's ed
- Is driver's ed enough?
- Sharing the cost of driving with your teen
- Risky driving behaviors
- Laws in your state
- Insurance costs and issues
- Safety of the car she drives
- Auto maintenance and repair
- Legal issues in case of a crash
Be an educated and prepared parent, you will have safer teens!
Watch video on texting and driving and more on Examiner. This is a major concern today. Take a pledge - don't text and drive! Oprah is promoting NO PHONE ZONE. Take the pledge and demand your kids don't use the phone while driving. Parents - lead by example! No texting and cell phone talking while driving.
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