Keeping tabs on teenage drivers

Do you have a teenage driver, or a soon-to-be teen driver? There are a lot of new gadgets out there to keep tabs on your teen behind the wheel - and some interesting information on parents of teen drivers was recently released. 

According to MSNBC, Ford just announced that many of its 2010 models will offer a new feature called 'MyKey' which limits your teen from driving over 80 mph. It can be programmed to control the volume of the stereo and has sound alerts if a seat belt is not being worn. This is all controlled through a computer chip in the key that your teen will be using. MyKey will be standard on many 2010 models and it will debut in the 2010 Ford Focus.

State Farm recently released a survey that indicated the majority of teens surveyed say they've seen their parents practice unsafe driving habits. According to the survey, 65 percent of parents talk on their cell phone while driving and drive while they are tired, and 68 percent are in a hurry at least sometimes when they drive. How do you think this influences those new drivers? I remember being that kid in the back seat when I was close to driving age, watching everything my mom did while driving. I would make comments like "Mom, you didn't use your turning signal" and "Mom, you didn't come to a full stop at the stop sign."

October is the month with the highest average teen insurance claims, so it is a good time to review good driving practices with your teenager. While I agree that devices like MyKey from Ford, Event Data Recorders which can track things like speed, seat belt use, and air bag deployment after an accident, and GPS tracking in your vehicle will help you monitor and keep track of your child can give you some peace of mind, I think that setting a good example should be your first method of developing a responsible teenage driver. Luckily my son won't be 16 until 2023, so I have a while to get prepared!

--Shanna

Comments

[Andrew]

Hello Shanna -

Thanks for referencing the recent State Farm report on teen driving. Wondering what your recommendations would be for mitigating risk with teen drivers, not just in October but year round?

State Farm is always looking to collect suggestions on safer driving experiences. You can find our existing resources here http://www.statefarm.com/learning/be_safe/road/teen.asp.

Thanks -

Andrew

[Shanna]

Hi Andrew,

Thanks for the comment. Unfortunately I was not able to open your link, but I believe there are a few things that can be done to mitigate risk with teen drivers year round.

First of all, parents need to be aware of the high risk time and behaviors of teens. According to a 2004 California DMV report (http://www.dmv.ca.gov/about/profile/rd/207_teen_driver_risk_report.pdf), teens driving at night, and teens with other young passengers in the car are two especially high risk driving conditions. In general, teens also tend to partake in more risky behavior such as using drugs and alcohol, in which there are high crash rates when these mix with driving. If parents understand these risks, they can educate their teens; limit or not allow them to drive at night, or have other young passengers in the car.

One suggestion for State Farm may be to partner with schools to offer courses on nighttime driving.

-Shanna

[Beth]

Here's a link to a good follow-up to your post. It's about how to lower insurance costs for teen drivers. http://newyork-insurance.net/how-to-lower-the-cost-of-car-insurance-tips-for-teenagers#article

[Andrew]

Sorry about the malfunctioning link Shanna. http://www.statefarm.com/learning/be_safe/road/teen.asp If the link still does not work, simply perform a search for "State Farm, Teen Driver" and you should reach the information I was trying to send.

Thanks for the insight and I will definitely pass along your information. Night driving is a problem for young and old. Addressing the differences and safest practices at a young age is important for safer roads.

Thanks again!

Andrew