If you have a teenager learning to drive, you know that many rules and tips for the road have changed since you were in driver’s education class and getting behind the wheel for the first time.  For that reason, we compiled a list of a few driving tips to pass along to your millennial teen.  Ingraining these tips from the beginning is the best way to ensure lasting, good habits and safe driving practices.

Seat belts are important

One of the most noteworthy laws that has been put in place in the past 25 years is the mandating of seatbelts.  While it is important for your teen driver and all occupants of a car to wear a seatbelt, there are many other safety guidelines and laws for driving today that didn’t exist just a few years back.  Restricting cell phone usage is a great example of this.  Using a phone while driving is extremely dangerous and, in many states, a punishable act.  It’s important to set rules and expectations with your teen surrounding cell phone usage in the car.  As it is smart for your young driver to have a phone with them in case of emergencies or for directions, it is useful to map out guidelines for when and where using a phone is appropriate and safe.

Steering wheel hand placement

Optimal hand placement on the steering wheel has also seen a few updates in recent years.  It’s likely that you were taught to place your hands at 2 o’clock and 10 o’clock on the wheel, but experts have now agreed that placing hands at 3 and 9 are safer in case of an accident.  Bent and relaxed arms at 3 and 9 provide a lower chance of arms being injured by airbag deployment, as they would be on the outer edge of the bag, not the top as they would be if placed at 2 and 10.

Also, recent studies have shown that having other teens in the car creates the most dangerous driving condition for a young driver’s safety.  Please make sure to discuss focus and responsibility while driving with friends.

We wish you the best in your coaching! Leave a comment below with any tips you would add to this list.

A recent study found that more than half of teen drivers often take phone calls from their parents while they are behind the wheel. This can result in distracted driving, putting these young drivers at risk.

The findings presented at the American Psychological Association’s 122nd Annual Convention show that out of the 408 teen drivers ages 15 to 18 that participated in the study, more than half reported being on the phone with their parents while driving.

Despite the bans, warnings, and the well-known dangers associated with distracted driving, many teen drivers feel that they still need to answer the phone behind the wheel, because parents expect to be able to reach their teens at all times and even get angry when they don’t answer their calls.

Distracted Teen Driving Statistics

A National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) report in 2013 showed that 11 percent of distracted teen driving accidents were fatal, with 21 percent of those car accidents involving cellphones. The NHTSA also reported that 78 percent of teen drivers say they’ve read a text message while driving and 71 percent say they have typed and sent a text message while behind the wheel.

What Can Parents Do About Distracted Teen Driving?

The study presented at the APA showed just how surprising it was to see that parents are often directly involved in distracted teen driving. Making parents more aware about this problem is the first step in reducing distracted teen driving.

The teen drivers surveyed in the study also said that their parents often used their cell phones while behind the wheel, so they felt that it was okay because “everyone is doing it”. Parents need to set an example and not use their cellphones while driving to emphasize that distracted driving is not safe or acceptable behavior for anyone.

When parents call their teens, they should first ask if they are driving. If they are behind the wheel, tell them to call them back when they are not driving or find a spot to pull over so that they can talk safely. There are also several smartphone driving and GPS apps available that can alert a parent if their teen is currently driving and can communicate the location of their teen if they need to know where they are.

Sources

NBCSanDiego.com

USAToday.com

In the U.S., teens drive less than older people, but the numbers of car accidents are disproportionally high amongst teenage drivers. The fatal crash rate per mile driven for teen drivers between 16 to 19 years old is nearly three times the rate for older drivers who are 20 and over. The risk for car accidents is highest between the ages of 16 to 17 years old, and statistics show that one in five 16 year old teen drivers has been involved in a car accident.

In a recent study conducted by WalletHub.com, state-by-state comparisons showed that some states are better for teen drivers than others. Factors in this study included average cost of auto body or car repairs, teen driver fatalities, and impaired-driving laws. The teen driver study ranks all 50 states from best and worst, excluding the District of Columbia.

Top 10 Best States for Teen Drivers

1. New York

2. Hawaii

3. Illinois

4. Oregon

5. Rhode Island

6. Massachusetts

7. Maryland

8. Delaware

9. Washington

10. Nevada

Top 10 Worst States for Teen Drivers

1. South Dakota

2. Mississippi

3. Nebraska

4. Oklahoma

5. Wyoming

6. Arkansas

7. Montana

8. South Carolina

9. Missouri

10. Arizona

The state with the highest population of residents, California ranked 11th best on the teen drivers list. Texas and Florida, which have the second and fourth largest populations, were ranked 19th and 34th.

Sources

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

USAToday.com

GEICO