Teen Driving Safety and Licenses

There are many issues surrounding "teen" driving. One such issue is teen driving safety. There are many policies in place to help deal with these issues. Some of these policies include graduated licenses, teen safety programs and driver education programs. In addition, parents can set a good example for teens.

Suggested Changes in Teen License Rules

Graduated licenses are a system of licenses that increase in freedom as age and experience increase. On the graduated system, the licenses grow from learner's permit to provisional license to a provisional license with nighttime and visitor restrictions and finally to an adult license. This ensures that a teen learns to drive properly at a slower rate. They are not driving at 10:00 pm with five friends in the backseat the night they get their permit. This has cut down on accident-related injuries and deaths drastically since it was implemented in most states.

Teen License Safety Programs

Teen safety programs are on the rise as they teach teens to take less risky tactics and to think on their feet. One study indicates that the area of the brain that governs weighing the consequences of one's actions, suppressing impulses and organizing thoughts does not fully mature until around age 25. This has started a program called "Alive at 25" that deals with issues such as peer pressure and mood swings that can affect a teen's behavior behind the wheel.

Why Teen Driving Education Programs Fail

Driver education programs are no longer as good as they used to be. In many places, there is no way to teach teens what they need to know. How can you teach a small-town kid how to drive in a city when the nearest big city is fifty miles away? Unfortunately, many teens think that they can conquer the world once they finish their driver education program. This is simply not true. Research indicates that at least two years of significant hours of behind-the-wheel practice are necessary to decrease automobile accident involvement risk. This is how the governments in many states came to implement the graduated licensing system.

Parents Still the Best Teen Driver's Education

Parents are the best way to teach a teen how to drive. Parents can lead by example, for instance by always wearing a seat belt. Countless parents believe that their teens do not notice what they do but they are mistaken. "Teens" notice a lot. If you talk on your cell phone while driving and never get in an accident, chances are your teen will think that he or she can too. They neglect to remember the years of experience they do not have when watching their parents. Avoid road rage and yelling obscenities at drivers who cannot hear you. If a teen is upset behind the wheel, the consequences can be deadly.

What Can Your Family Do to Protect Your Teenage Driver?

Many states have taken precaution to protect both teen drivers and other drivers on the road. However, families can do quite a bit as well. Families can spend more time working with teens on driving skills and gradually working up to driving at night or with friends. Many families sign driving contracts with each other that clearly lay out the rules. Teens still need supervision as much as they try to convince their parents otherwise. The precautions put in place by the state and by the family have probably saved uncounted lives.

Andre Zayas is a professionally syndicated author.