The “do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do” school of driving instruction has its hazards, not only for you and your offspring, but also for those of us who must share the road with them. Since we learn by observing and doing, it’s no surprise that teenage drivers emulate their instructors.
More often than not, the primary driving instruction is provided by parents – teachers who have no training in driver education and may not set a good example for their students.
Learning to drive may be the most important “rite-of-passage” for teenagers, even surpassing high school graduation in significance. In our mobile society, driving is one of the most important skills we learn. It’s also one of the most dangerous things a teenager can do. New drivers ages 16 to 19 are involved in four times the number of fatal accidents than drivers 25 though 69 years of age.
For most of us, this statistic comes as no surprise. It’s just one fact out of a large body of knowledge that confirms the danger driving poses to new young drivers and to the drivers with whom they share the road. There is one finding about teenage driving that may shock you. It has to do with the lackadaisical attitude we take toward driver education. Barbers and dental hygienists are required to have more training to be certified than those who wish to teach driving skills. As concerning as that may be, another shocking fact is that driver education is being dropped from school curriculums at an ever increasing pace as costs rise and funds dwindle. As a result, the responsibility for teaching young drivers is falling to people who usually have no training in driver education whatsoever: Parents.
Chances are, you aren’t a very good role model for the kids you taught to drive. According to a study conducted by State Farm Insurance, 65 percent of parents talk on the phone while driving even though 94 percent of them forbid their teenagers from doing so. Chances are your son or daughter has observed you driving when you are tired or in a rush. No doubt they have seen you take a chance behind the wheel that would upset you if it were them driving. While it is true that adults have the experience to better handle distractions and make judgments about traffic than teenagers, the evidence strongly suggests that your style of driving will become their style of driving.
Most of the skills needed to drive a car safely are acquired through experience. The more driving you do, the better and more confident you are at doing it. If you are 17 years old and you’ve been driving for six months, you simply don’t have enough experience under your seatbelt to do anything else but concentrate on your driving. Still, how many cell phone-obsessed teenagers are going to turn off their social links when they are doing something as cool as driving? Practically none. That’s why 13 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws banning teens from using electronics while driving. Reportedly, there are another 15 states considering laws of the same nature. California is about to pass a law that goes further and prohibits teens from using hands-free systems. Unfortunately, teenage behavior has proven highly resistant to legal mandates. They consider their cell phones a lifeline even though it may well be a matter of life or death.
It’s time for another shocking statistic: According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,108 teenage drivers died in accidents last year, making vehicle crashes the leading cause of death for that age group.
What can be done to improve the driving skills of teens? Many experts believe this dire situation calls for a different type of driver education. An example of what may be the future needed is found in the Florida-based New Driver Control Clinic that involves both teens and their parents where maneuvers to help avoid accidents are taught. This $160 course has shown results with crash rates for graduates some 77 percent lower than other Florida teen drivers.
Most performance car instruction companies also offer programs designed specifically for new drivers and many involve the parents. The Skip Barber Driving School describes their new driver course this way: "Good driving is not about reflexes, instinct or adrenaline. The real secret is trained response. At the Skip Barber Driving School, we teach emergency braking, skid and slide control, proper cornering techniques and a variety of other car-control skills. We raise your awareness of all the elements that together constitute good driving. This comes from understanding vehicle dynamics, then practicing the skills we teach you, in a safe and extremely fun environment. You'll have the time of your life – and learn the skills that can save it.” Their new driver courses start at around $800, but think about this: One in four teenage drivers will be involved in a crash. That’s 25 percent. If you’re a parent, how do you like the odds?
