Parenting
How to Put the Brakes on Teen Crash RisksParents hold keys to teaching safe driving By June Walbert, Certified Financial PlannerTM, USAA Financial Planning Services Many high school students are anxious to get their driver’s licenses and claim a small piece of independence. Unfortunately, teens have the highest crash risk of any age group – about four times higher than experienced drivers. So, what can you do to help your teen stay safe? Take the lead. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and other experts agree that parents should play a major role in preparing their teens for the road. You can’t rely solely on driving schools and instructors to teach your child to drive safely. Teaching your teen safe driving skills greatly reduces the risk of accidents. For example, research shows: - When parents monitor their teens’ activities, such as knowing their comings and goings, teens are less likely to take risks such as smoking or drinking while driving. - Teen traffic violations and car accidents decrease when parents limit when, where, and how frequently teens drive. Practice what you preach. Teens learn a lot about driving skills and behavior from watching their parents. Set a good example by wearing your seat belt and avoiding risks behind the wheel. Set rules for the road. Use state laws to set your own rules of the road – and enforce them. Though the laws differ, 41 states and the District of Columbia have adopted a three-step approach called graduated licensing: - Learner’s permit.
- Intermediate or provisional phase.
- Full-privilege license. Most states limit night driving and the number of teen passengers allowed. And more than a dozen require at least 50 hours of supervised driving with an adult before teens can drive on their own. If your state hasn’t adopted graduated licensing, visit iihs.org for more information, and then develop your own approach. Put it in writing. Many parents and teens use “driving contract” to spell out expectations for safe driving behavior – and consequences for breaking the rules. Both the teen and the parent should sign the contract and agree to abide by certain rules, such as not using a cell phone while driving and always wearing a seat belt. Though it may be stressful, get involved with your teen’s lessons. You’ll steer the way to keeping the roads safer for your teen and others. June Walbert is a salaried CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner with USAA Financial Planning Services, one of the USAA family of companies. USAA is a diversified insurance and financial services organization that has served the military community since 1922. Walbert also is a major in the U.S. Army Reserve. *The USAA Educational Foundation, a nonprofit organization, does not endorse or promote any commercial product, service, or supplier. | 
