Just over a month ago, I joined the ranks of so many parents who have teens on the roads. Yet, even as I consider how well my son’s driving has developed this past year, I know many driving skills are obtained on the road, through experience. Simply put, driving is a high risk activity, and especially risky for teenage drivers. Did you know that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, accounting for more than one in three deaths in this age group? Those numbers translate to an alarming statistic that nearly 11 teens die in fatal car crashes every day on U.S. roads. I’m challenged to change these outcomes, both in my role as the Acting Director of the CDC’s Injury Center and, most personally, as a parent to my 16 year old son, Nick.
Louise and Nick's Driving Contract
Graduated driver licensing systems, now in place in nearly every U.S. state, are an effective strategy for preventing crashes with new drivers. The Injury Center strongly supports GDL systems, which help teens get initial driving experience under low-risk conditions. Research suggests that GDL systems are associated with reducing injury crashes by up to 40 percent in 16-year-old drivers. Learn the details of the GDL system in your state - or better yet, encourage your teen to research the requirements and inform you, as mine did!
As helpful as laws on the books can be, we know a parent’s involvement with and supervision of their novice driver is a major factor in why GDL systems are so successful. With this in mind, the Injury Center has launched a pilot communications campaign called “Parents Are the Key”. You will be hearing more about this campaign in the future, but I’d like to share with you one of its key features and one I plan to implement with Nick, the parent/teen driving contract.
This contract is designed to clarify expectations about driving behaviors, such as the use of safety belts, NO cell phone talking or texting, NO drinking and driving, strict limits to the number of underage passengers, restricted night time driving and more. As in my contract with Nick, it is also helpful to spell out consequences for violating rules as well as include graduating steps to new privileges when guidelines are followed and experience is gained. Finally, as empowering as communicating with our teens and agreeing rules in writing can be, parents must lead by example. Nick’s eyes are on me each time my blackberry buzzes and beeps while I am behind the wheel. This experience taught us both that we can easily avoid the temptation when we turn the phone off before we turn the key!
We parents cannot minimize our role in helping our teens develop into safe and competent drivers, as much for them as for others sharing the roadways. And my reward for such intense focus on my son’s driving? The three little words I love to hear from my 16 year old: “Mom, I’m home.” I hope you will do all you can to hear those words from your teen and that they bring you as much peace as they do me.
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Public Comments
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October 22, 2009 at 8:55 am ET - Sheila Porter
As the mother of a 17.5 year old daughter, I also love to hear the back door slam and her walking through the door. Fortunately, she has been a very cautious driver and has not pushed to have more friends in the car. Her older brothers were over 18 when they started learning to drive, but of course she had to get her learners permit at 15.5.
We also have a contract that was agreed upon and she only works one day a week where she is out after dark.
I agree that their eyes are always on us when we are driving and I try to pay attention to what I’m doing while I’m driving, including not texting or looking at my phone. She has always been quick to point out to her father or I if we are doing something wrong.
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AUTHOR COMMENT November 6, 2009 at 3:57 pm ET - Louise Galaska, MPA
Ms. Porter, thank you very much for your comment. The steps you are taking – such as creating a driving contract and serving as a positive role model while driving – can truly help to keep your daughter safe behind the wheel. Thank you for your commitment to teen driver safety.
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October 22, 2009 at 12:03 pm ET - Anna Watkins
My children are older than most of their classmates, and will be 15 (old enough for a learners permit) while still in middle school. I’ve already begun to talk about driving, the skills required, and everything you have to pay attention to, and try to model all the right behaviours.
As terrifying as the thought is, and as tempting as it is to delay the permit (8th graders driving!!!), I plan to allow each to get the permit as soon as they are eligible, but to delay getting their licenses until about the time when their classmates will be getting theirs (sometime in 10th grade). My hope is that the extra 12-18 months of permit time will give each of my kids more practice time on the road with me (and more maturity) before letting them loose on the world.
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AUTHOR COMMENT November 6, 2009 at 3:59 pm ET - Louise Galaska, MPA
Ms. Watkins, thank you for your comment. As you know, parents play such an important role in preparing their children to be safe drivers. Talking to your children about the importance of safe driving and serving as a positive role model while driving—as you are already doing—can help to keep them safe once they do get on the road. Thank you.
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October 22, 2009 at 12:40 pm ET - Veda Dianne Debty
My precious daughter, Rebecca, was killed in a terrible truck wreck on a beautiful, sunny day on August 3, 2000. She was 17 years old and was a passenger. She died almost instantly from head trauma after the truck went air-born, hit a tree and flipped. The top of the truck crushed her skull. She died underneath the truck with her seatbelt on. The driver, Matt, also 17 years old walked away unharmed. Matt used his vehicle to make big impressions with the girls. He showed off all the time. He just didn’t realize that he would kill a good friend doing so. What really hurts is that we were constantly lecturing Rebecca about driving safely. She was a good, conscientous driver who made the mistake of trusting a friend to ride with. This mistake cost her life. In NC by law, he was charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle. He was slapped on the wrist and we buried our daughter.
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AUTHOR COMMENT November 6, 2009 at 3:59 pm ET - Louise Galaska, MPA
Ms. Debty, please accept my condolences on the loss of your beloved daughter, Rebecca. Thank you for your courage in sharing your loss with the rest of us in the hope that it will help keep other sons and daughters safe.
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October 25, 2009 at 7:51 am ET - Denise Drummond
This has been helpful, as I have a son that will be 16 in June 2010. I had been looking forward to the help it will offer - running errands, having his own transportation with his and his sister’s activities. I will have to strike a balance between his safety and meeting my expectations. The teen years have its unique challenges, I will continue to seek resources that will guide us all.
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AUTHOR COMMENT November 6, 2009 at 4:00 pm ET - Louise Galaska, MPA
Ms. Drummond, thank you very much for your comment and for your interest in safe teen driving. There are proven steps that you can take, including extending your teen’s supervised driving period, limiting nighttime driving and the number of teen passengers in the car, and enforcing the rules with a parent-teen contract, that will help your son be a safer driver. You may also find the following resource from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to be helpful: http://www.underyourinfluence.org. Thank you.
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October 26, 2009 at 1:40 pm ET - Nita Hestevold
Thank you so much for including the Louise & Nick Driving Contract. I reseach teen driving supported by a CDC grant and am fimiliar from our work with importance of Teen Driving Contracts. Yet the only place I have seen these are either a version by a reseacher or one distributed by an insurence company. Having a Teen Driving Contracted that has the backing of the CDC seems so important to me. My daughter turns 16 in March and will be anxious to get her lincense. I live in Alabama with a very weak graduated lincensing law. This is the contract I will use with my daughter.
Thanks so much.
Nita Hestevold
Research Associate
University of Alabama
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AUTHOR COMMENT November 6, 2009 at 4:00 pm ET - Louise Galaska, MPA
Ms. Hestevold, thank you very much for your comment. It is good to hear that you have made safe teen driving a priority for your family, and I am so pleased that the parent-teen contract will be of use to you and your daughter. Thank you.
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October 31, 2009 at 9:53 am ET - June Krise
Is drivers education still funded at the public schools? or can a video be obtained or or you tube video that teens might catch on to and start passing around.
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AUTHOR COMMENT November 6, 2009 at 4:01 pm ET - Louise Galaska, MPA
Ms. Krise, thank you for your comment. The drivers education options that are available varies by community; some schools do still provide drivers education, though fewer than before. There are also a number of private businesses that provide drivers education services. But the good news is that it is parents who really play a key role in the learning-to-drive process. Parents can take a number of steps—such as extending a teen’s supervised driving period, limiting nighttime driving and the number of teen passengers in the car, and enforcing the rules with a parent-teen contract—which can help keep teens safe on the road. Thank you.
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November 2, 2009 at 12:57 pm ET - Nancy Miller
I believe a seatbelt device,a breathilizer device and a speed device should all be mandatory when teenagers secure a drivers license. The car would not start without the seatbelt fastened - the car would not start without the driver activating the breathilizer,especially in the evenings and on the weekends,the car would not be able to go over 60 mph at any time. These devices could be tied to state law or being able to get affordable car insurance. I think if we are serious about saving lives we need to leave little to chance. We need to trust our children but even the most responsible teenagers make mistakes - driving after drinking or getting in the car with someone that has –it only takes one time. My experience has been parents stick their head in the sand - do not want to face the truth - my child is smarter than that -better than that - none are - trust me. Parents have said to me “we are having a 16th birthday party for my son and we are going to collect all the keys just in case someone sneaks in alcohol”. Well first of all someone almost always sneaks alcohol into the party and they almost always have additional keys . I figured this one out when I had to jump thru the drivers side of a moving vehicle to get to the ignition of a car leaving my home at midnight. Last party for me. When my teenagers were late coming home I would call other parents - waking most up -most were scarily unconcerned - This is war and I believe we should use every weapon in the arsonal and leave nothing on the table. It would be helpful if parents were more realistic and get together and always have someone on call for the kids to call in case they need help. Teenagers need to know they can call a pre-appointed person and have the confidence the information would only be shared on a need to know basis. Kids need help in many ways and at times its not about drinking. Maybe they have suffered a broken relationship - that is devestating at any age and having someone to call no matter what the situation can build trust with teens. Goodness I could go on and on - As you might have figured out I have had alot of experience with teenagers and some have been heartbreaking. Also funny how if they pay or help pay for their car and insurance they seem to take much better care with the car. Also I say no matter what ALL teenagers should be driving clunkers - How about a CLUNKERS FOR TEENAGERS STIMULAS PLAN- I’m not kidding!!-Our young people are our most precious commodity and we are sitting around allowing them to die - this is a drastic situation and it calls for drastic measures. Thank you for highlighting this crisis in America. I don’t think the American public is educated regarding this subject. I believe out goverment needs to pay for TV/Radio time to make sure every American is aware of the leading cause of teenage deaths. My teens attended one of the top ten high schools in the nation. The reason I make this point is because there are many that feel the academically inclined are less likely to drink and drive. I don’t have the statistics but I doubt that is the case. No teenager is safe until we can pass legislation that has teeth. The GDL is a start —only a start!!
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AUTHOR COMMENT November 6, 2009 at 4:01 pm ET - Louise Galaska, MPA
Ms. Miller, thank you very much for your comment and your interest in this important issue. Parents play a key role in keeping teens safe on the road, and proven steps—such as extending your teen’s supervised driving period, limiting nighttime driving and the number of teen passengers in the car, and enforcing the rules with a parent-teen contract—can truly help. Thank you.
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November 15, 2009 at 6:00 pm ET - Maggie Stork
I am 21 years old and remember receiving my drivers license like it was only yesterday. I did not have a cell phone when I got my license at 16, so the temptation was never there for me to text, or talk on the phone while driving. Even without the distractions of a cell phone or any of the other gadgets that many teens are driving with today, I made a few “new-driver” errors. There were small incidents that could have been avoided if I was just a bit more experienced in my driving.
I loved the freedom I gained by earning my drivers license with no limits on the number of passengers, or what time of day I could drive; but I must admit that a graduated licensing program might have worked in my benefit. If I had restrictions placed on my driving I probably would not have made the same mistakes, and my parents would have been less worried about my driving.
Luckily, the mistakes I made at 16 were not fatal, but for several kids in my high school, the mistakes they made as new drivers were. It is absolutely devastating when one of your peers loses their life because of something that could have been avoided. Driving is serious, and I know that when I was a teen I did not take it as seriously as I do now. Hopefully more states will enact graduated driver licensing programs, and raise teen awareness about staying safe on the road.
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AUTHOR COMMENT November 18, 2009 at 3:04 pm ET - Louise Galaska, MPA
Ms. Stork,
Thank you for sharing your experiences of learning to drive without the benefit of a graduated driver licensing (GDL) system. I’m very sorry to hear that students at your high school were involved in fatal crashes as new drivers, and appreciate your resulting passion in teen driver safety. As you pointed out, GDL systems can help new teen drivers stay safer behind the wheel, and the most comprehensive systems are proven to reduce crash-related injuries and deaths. Though not every state has a comprehensive GDL system in place, the good news is that parents can take a number of steps—such as extending a teen’s supervised driving period, limiting nighttime driving and the number of teen passengers in the car, and enforcing the rules with a parent-teen contract—which can help keep their teen safe on the road.
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