Ireland - Wednesday, January 08, 2003
Understanding
teen driver car crashes and what parents can do
Whenever we get behind the wheel of a car we begin the process of
risk assessment. This is why we look behind before backing up, or look both
ways before entering the roadway. We are determining issues of risk before we
take action.
Often, we are also trying to determine how much risk can we get away with. If the speed limit is 50 we may be thinking about going 55, or 60, or more. We
think about our choices and the likely consequences of each choice. We say to
ourselves, “I think I can get away with this much” and then see if we are
right.
At age 46, I am 28 years older than my son.
I have 30 years of independent driving experience. I have driven in all seasons and in all driving conditions and on all kinds of
roadways. I have witnessed collisions and their aftermath. My risk assessment is based on 30 years of driving experience. This makes me
very similar to many other parents of teen drivers. This is totally unlike a
new teen driver though.
We speak of lack of judgment when it comes to teen drivers. Lack of judgment means that teens do not have the same depth of
experience on which to base their risk assessment. As such
they may make a less than adequate decision.
This lack of experience and lesser judgment tends not to be
recognized teens. They cannot see what they never had or are yet to develop.
They cannot appreciate their lack of experience and as such will argue that
they are fully capable of assessing risk as capably as older adults.
Teens have a marvelous capacity for language. They have just spent
the past several years in high school and elementary school before that. Some
convince their parents that they do know more than their actual experience has
taught.
Some parents think that because they trust their teen or because their teen is generally good or because the
teen is convincing, that their teen will exercise good judgment in the use of
the car. However, parents are cautioned to remember that their teen’s good
judgment just doesn’t have the wealth of experience to
back it up. No matter how good or well-meaning the
teen, they simply are not fully equipped for the responsibility and management
of a motor vehicle under all circumstance.
This is well known to insurance
companies. Insurance companies do not consider young persons experienced until
about age 25 because their crash statistics show that this is
the age when crashes start to significantly decline.
Insurers also know that the first year of driving remains the most
risk filled point in a young person’s life. Teen driver car crashes are the
leading cause of permanent injury and death in teens and the first year of
driving is the most dangerous.
Parents must talk with their teens and set limits and determine responsibilities,
expectations and restrictions on the use of the car to reduce the risk of their
child’s involvement in a crash. Parents do know better and it’s
not until the teen is over age 25 that they will truly understand or appreciate
the actions taken by their parents.
Parents are well advised to restrict the
number of passengers allowed in the vehicle. Additional passengers may be allowed for each year of driving experience. Parents
must insist that their teen buckle-up and parents must do so too. If your teen
intends on being out after
Lastly, don’t let the tail wag the dog.
Remember, your car, your rules. Your responsibility as a parent continues to be
the safety of your child until they are truly independent.
Our son has now been driving 18 months and so far without
incident. He must tell us where he is going and when he is returning each time he uses the car. He is restricted to only 3 passengers at this point (zero for the first month and
building from there). He cannot use the car after
When asked, he will tell us he doesn’t
like our rules. Happily for us, he tells us each time
after arriving home safely. When he’s older we think
he will see the irony in that. Will your teen?
Gary Direnfeld, Executive Director
I Promise Program – teen safe
driving initiative
www.ipromiseprogram.com
__________________________________________________________________
This editorial is provided by the I Promise Program – a teen safe driving
initiative that promotes parents as role models by entering into a mutual safe
driving contract with their teen. To provide accountability, a rear window
decal is then affixed to the vehicle. The decal display a toll free number and the question, “Am I
driving safely?” Calls are received by a call center and responses are sent by
letter only back to the family. Youth, parents, community members, police and
interested stakeholders in traffic safety have participated in developing this
program.
Contact Information:
Gary Direnfeld, MSW,
Executive Director
I Promise Program
20
(905) 628-4847
gary123@sympatico.ca
www.ipromiseprogram.com