Teen Driving Safest when Parent Provide Clear Rules and Monitoring

Parents can have a major role in whether or not their teens are at risk for being in a car crash. Research has shown then when parents have rules about the use of a car, teens are less likely to be involved in risky driving behaviors.  The simplest rules? Here are a few:

1. Always wear a seat belt, no matter what seat you are in or how many people are in the car.
2. Don't use your cell phone while driving. This means you do not answer the cellphone, do not make a call on the cellphone, and do not text while you are driving.
3. Do not use alcohol and drive, do not get into a car where the driver has been drinking, and get out of the car if someone has been drinking. We will come and get you and be proud that you were so strong.

Authoritative parents were much more likely to have teen drivers who avoided risky driving then parents who were not authoritative. Another finding? Teens who shared a vehicle were less likely to engage in risky behavior than those that has their own car. As attorneys who represent teens, and the victims of teen drivers, we know that these simple rules can make a difference. For more information from this study and its recommendations, click here.