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It’s a rite of passage for every adolescent. Most of us can remember how anxious and excited we were to get our license. It represents freedom, mobility, and an important step in the transition to adulthood. But it also presents a huge new safety risk, as driving is the activity that kills more Americans each year than any other. Young and inexperienced drivers are especially vulnerable.

How parents can keep kids safe behind the wheel

Some of this danger can’t be eliminated. There is no substitute for driving experience, and your child will have to learn sooner or later. Parents will just have to climb into the passenger seat, close their eyes, and scream. (On the inside…the other might be a little distracting to your young driver.) That said, the good news is that there are many things parents can do to make this transition safer and decrease the odds of something tragic occurring. One joint study by State Farm and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia found that when teens had parents who set rules, monitored their teen’s driving activity, and engaged them in a helpful, supportive way, those young drivers were half as likely to be involved in a crash and 71% less likely to drive drunk than teens with less-involved parents who didn’t monitor their driving. (Copeland, 10-19-2010) The following information will explore some different safety strategies and offer tips for how parents can keep their young driver safe behind the wheel.

Information on Teen Driving

Teaching teens how to drive

Keeping your teen safe on the road

 


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