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Teen Years (13-18)
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Teaching teenagers to drive has to be one of the most stressful moments of parenting. I know because I've done it twice. It's definitely not for the faint of heart. You try to remain calm and supportive while sitting alongside in the passenger's seat, but a sudden lane change or left turn across a busy street sends your pulse racing. To make matters worse, parents are faced with the grim fact that automobile accidents are the leading cause of death for those ages 16 to 20. Driver fatalities for this age group continue to increase with the rate of deaths of 16-year-olds nearly five times that of drivers ages 20 and older. With a recent rash of teen auto fatalities in Orange County, these statistics seem to bear out. Whether you blame this trend on heavier traffic conditions, riskier teen behavior or poor driver education, a parent cannot help but worry when their child first starts driving. Fortunately, there are things that parents can do to help make their teens safe on the roads. "Parents need to take an active role through the entire driving process," says Elaine Beno of the Automobile Club of Southern California. This means being involved before children actually have a driver's permit, during the driver's education classes and behind-the-wheel training and even after they are granted licenses. Many parents are eager to get their teenage children licensed and on the road as quickly as possible because it means less chauffeuring for them. The American Academy of Pediatrics, however, issued a statement recently advocating that parents use caution with driver's education by slowly increasing driving privileges over a period of time. The AAP recommends that parents create a written contract with their children outlining the rules, and if the contract is broken there should be clear consequences. Safety experts also agree that just because a teen is 15 1/2 doesn't mean he or she should start driving. "Parents need to assess whether their child has the emotional maturity to take on driver's education," says Beno. "Specific personality traits might indicate whether a parent should delay driver's education," she says. Teenagers who are high risk-takers might not be ready to start driving at 15 because they typically drive at excessive speeds, which is a leading cause for teen crashes. Teens who show little interest in driving or have expressed fear should also wait until they are ready to take on the responsibilities that come with driving. Some medical researchers now believe that brain immaturity in teenagers may be linked to the high rate of auto accidents in this age group. Since the region of the brain that inhibits risky behavior is not fully formed until age 25, it makes sense that many teenagers speed excessively or exhibit other risky behaviors while driving. "Driving requires a commitment to time and discipline - from both the child and the parent," says Beno. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to establish a practice schedule and stick to it. Parents need to enforce the supervised instruction period, and it's easier to do this by setting up a regular routine. For example, set aside a specific day and time for driving practice. Beno adds that parents need to make sure that their child has exposure to all types of driving, such as at night and in the rain or fog. Driver's education classes are some of the most important courses teenagers take because they are intended to keep them alive. But current programs are not always adequate. The National Transportation Safety Board in 2005 found that the standard course has not changed much in 50 years and is not preparing teenagers for driving. The most recent program my teenager participated was extremely disappointing. Coursework was presented in a rushed manner with no time for reinforcement, and the behind-the-wheel sessions were even worse. The breaking point came when my son told me that his instructor asked him to stop at a 7-Eleven so that he could buy some snacks. Then while my son was driving, the instructor asked him if he wanted a piece of beef jerky! Driving schools vary in terms of how they present classroom information and behind-the-wheel training. The minimum behind-the-wheel training tends to be 6 hours but most programs offer additional sessions for an extra charge. Beno advises parents to ask questions before signing their child up for a program. "They should make sure that the school exposes students to a variety of driving situations by varying the course each time they're out on the road and giving them the opportunity to drive on freeways, high-pedestrian areas and during rush hour," she says. "Parents should also be able to receive feedback from the instructor on how their child is performing behind the wheel." California's licensing laws now require anyone younger than 18 to progress through a three-stage system to obtain a driver's license. After age 15 1/2, a teenager can apply for a learner's permit that must be held for at least six months before a driving test is taken. During this time, they are required to log 50 hours of adult-supervised driving practice (10 of which must be at night). After passing their driving test, teens are issued a provisional license that allows them to drive independently with these limitations: no driving between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless accompanied by a licensed driver 25 or older And no driving with passengers younger than 20. After one year with a provisional license, teens can then obtain a full license. Fortunately, California has one of the most progressive and enhanced graduated driver's licensing programs in the country. Starting July 1, 2008, all drivers (adults and teenagers) in California may use a cell phone only if it has a hands-free listening and speaking system. Even though these laws help promote safety, parents must continue to monitor their teens' driving well after they receive a full license. Experts recommend that parents set limits on how many friends can drive with their teenager, since the risk of an accident increases significantly for teenagers with each additional passenger. |
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