In honor of National Teen Driver Safety Week this week Oct. 19-25, we are raising awareness about the high crash rate among teen drivers.
Shocking Statistics:
- Motor vehicle crashes remain the #1 killer of teenagers from 15-20.
- More than 50% of teenagers admit to texting while driving "sometimes"
Our young kids and teenagers are watching us and learning what behaviors and habits are acceptable on the road. They watch us as we are texting while driving, using google maps, they watch whether we obey the traffic rules or disregard them. They watch if we drive aggressively or wear our seat-belt. Even small children are aware of their parents driving practices. As parents we have an opportunity and an obligation to help our children become safe drivers and it begins with modeling safe driving behaviors ourselves.
The biggest question is what will your teen do when you are NOT in the car? Habits are established early on. More likely than not, if it has always been a rule that cell phones must be put away while driving, your teenager will feel less inclined to text and drive. If it has always been a rule that everyone must wear a seatbelt, including the parents, then the teenager will most likely wear their seatbelt.