Teen Driver Safety Week October 19-25

Dover – Has your teen driver ever rolled their eyes and responded “Yes, I know that” when you are trying to coach them behind the wheel? We know they do not know everything but part of your job as parents and caregivers is to ensure they learn everything about how to be a responsible and safe driver.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for 14-18 year olds in the U.S. In fact, almost half of the teen drivers involved in a crash die. Yet, a recent survey shows that only 25% of parents have had a serious talk with their kids about the key components of driving. During Teen Driver Safety Week, parents and caregivers of teen drivers are encouraged to have a conversation with their teen drivers and set rules about the responsibility of having the car keys before they hit the road.

In June of 2012, the Delaware Office of Highway Safety coordinated a technical assessment and evaluation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the Delaware driver education program. The assessment report has contributed to the State’s efforts to enhance the effectiveness of its driver’s education program in preventing injuries, saving lives and reducing economic costs of young novice driver motor vehicle crashes on Delaware’s roadways. As a result, the Delaware Teen Driver Task Force was re-established in 2013. One of the goals for the task force is to promote education of teen drivers and their parents about safe driving skills, training, and the consequences if ignored. Members of the task force include the Office of Highway Safety, Division of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Education, Delaware Driver Safety Education Association, Delaware State Police, and SmartDrive.

Members of the task force have developed or have provided several resources for parents and teens to encourage a dialog of safe driving and rules of the road. These resources are available year round and are being highlighted during Teen Driver Safety Week.

• The Office of Highway Safety created a Graduated Driver’s License Parent Orientation Program to educate parents of teen drivers about their responsibilities under the GDL law. http://www.ohs.delaware.gov/OHSGDL/story.html

• The DMV coordinated the Parent Supervised Driving Program and RoadReady app for parents and teens. This year theme is It Takes Two: Shared Expectations for Teens and Parents for Driving. The topic is aligned with the program’s effort to help motivate parents to expand their participation in the supervised driving process. http://www.theparentssuperviseddrivingprogram.com/states/de.html

• The Delaware Driver and Safety Education Association (DDSEA) is encouraging Delaware high schools to participate in Celebrate My Drive, powered by State Farm Insurance. The program brings added awareness to teen driver safety during National Teen Driver Safety Week. In addition, it offers participating schools the chance to compete for grant money ranging from $25,000-$100,000 by having their schools and communities vote online in recognition of the importance of keeping 2 eyes on the road and 2 hands on the wheel when driving. www.celebratemydrive.com/home

• The SmartDrive Foundation is conducting in school education programs such as their Driving With Intention program, PROMise program and Distraction & Reaction program. Each program is designed to educate young drivers to make the right decisions every time they are behind the wheel so they will never put anyone in harm’s way. www.smartdriveusa.org

• A subcommittee was created to update the driver’s education curriculum in Delaware high schools. The curriculum is being updated to meet the National Content Standards for driver’s education curriculum, meet the Common Core State Standards initiative and to include new traffic laws. The new curriculum will ensure continuity, measurement, and accountability for educators and novice teen drivers learning in Delaware.

For more information about teen driving visit www.safercar.gov/parents, www.ohs.delaware.gov, http://www.dmv.de.gov/services/driver_services/teen/index.shtml.

Dover, DE–Insurance Commissioner Karen Weldin Stewart suggests that parents set aside time to discuss the importance of safe driving practices, especially in regards to attending prom and related after-parties, as motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for 15- to 20-year olds in the U.S (1). Safe driving practices are important to enforce year-round but parents can help their teens make better decisions by discussing specific driving guidelines, and the consequences of violating those rules, especially when it comes to attending special events like prom.

Many teen drivers simply lack the experience to recognize and respond to hazardous driving situations and are thus more likely to engage in dangerous practices like speeding and becoming distracted by passengers in their car. Teens are more likely to be in an accident if other teens are present in the vehicle. It’s important to set clear limits on how many occupants are allowed in your teen’s car.

It should also be noted that under Delaware’s Level One Learner’s Permit restrictions the law states, “No passengers other than an adult supervisor and 1 other passenger can be in the vehicle during the entire first 12 months of valid driving authority. However, the passenger restrictions of this paragraph do not apply to immediate members of the driver’s family as long as the adult supervisor is in the car.” The law further states, “During the second 6 month period of unsupervised driving, when a supervisor is not present, only 1 other passenger in addition to the driver can be in the vehicle.”

Commissioner Stewart added, “One of the biggest distractions of all is often a driver’s cellphone. Delaware law forbids the use of handheld cellphone use and texting while driving for drivers of all ages. Nationally, 20% of teens and 10% of adults admit that they have extended text message conversations while driving (2). Nobody should text and drive, no matter their age.” Young drivers on the Level One Learner’s Permit are forbidden from cellphone use entirely. In 2011, 11 percent of all drivers age 15 to 19 involved in fatal accidents were distracted at the time of crash; 21 percent of those drivers were distracted by their cellphone (3).

In 2011, 32 percent of drivers aged 15 to 20 involved in a fatal automobile crash were drinking (4). In a study by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), it was found that when parents used clear “no use” messages, teens were 80 percent less likely to drink(5). Parents should discuss specific plans for where their teen will be going after the prom and confirm with other adults that alcohol and drug-use will not be allowed in any of those settings. Parents are encouraged to set a curfew as well, and many require that their son or daughter call them before they drive home, or are driven home, to ensure that no drivers have been drinking.

One of the most important, and easy, safety practices to follow is to always use a seatbelt. In 2010, 56% of drivers age 15 to 20 who were killed in car crashes after drinking and driving were not wearing a seat belt(6). Seat belts should always be worn by anyone riding in a vehicle, no matter what.

Commissioner Stewart added, “Going to the prom is a fun and exciting occasion for teens, and parents can help make sure that their sons and daughters will make it home safely at the end of the night. Taking just a few minutes to discuss your teen’s after-prom plans, curfew and driving expectations can have a large, positive impact on their decision making process.”

Parents are encouraged to visit the “Parents Are the Key” website run by the Centers for Disease Control, at www.cdc.gov/parentsarethekey/. This website has a “Parent-Teen Driving Agreement” that you can print out and review with your teen. It’s a great tool for guiding a discussion about safe driving expectations and the consequences of breaking the rules that you put in place.

(1) Source: National Center for Health Statistics
(2) Source: Univ. of Michigan Transportation Research Institute
(3) Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(4) Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(5) Source: MADD online survey, September 2013
(6) Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Delaware Department of Insurance: “Protecting Delawareans through regulation and education while providing oversight of the insurance industry to best serve the public.”

Dover – The Graduated Driver License (GDL) Parent Orientation Program  (POP)  is now available online at www.ohs.delaware.gov/OHSGDL/story.html for all parents and sponsors of new teen drivers in Delaware.  This program is intended for parents and sponsors and explains why the GDL law was implemented in Delaware, gives them teaching and educational resources to help educate and teach their new drivers how to drive safely, and what responsibilities and liabilities the parent/sponsor assumes with a newly licensed driver.

Between 2004 and 2010 the POP program was presented after school at numerous high schools in Delaware by speakers from Delaware State Police, Bayhealth Trauma Service, Christiana Care Trauma Program, Office of Highway Safety, State Farm Insurance, and Delaware Division of Motor Vehicle. As the demand increased for more education and outreach to new drivers and resources to expand the program were dwindling, the OHS began the process to bring the program online and make it available to all parents/sponsors where they could view it anytime at their convenience.

It is not mandatory that parents/sponsors complete the POP program in order for their teens to get their driver’s license permit.  It is a great source of information for parents/sponsors about what new drivers’ lack of experience when they are learning to drive and how the parent/sponsor can support and help them along the way to help them earn their full driving privileges.

The GDL law was implemented in Delaware in 1999 and was designed to give 16 year olds who are applying for their drivers’ license for the first time additional behind the wheel supervision beyond Drivers Education classes.  The intent of the GDL law is to improve driving skills, instill a sense of responsibility, sharpen judgment, promote strict observance of the rules of the road and put an emphasis of parental/sponsor supervision and involvement in the teen’s driving education.  After 10 years of GDL implementation16 year old teen driver crashes have reduced by 30% in Delaware.

For more information and resources for first time drivers and on the Graduated Driver License visit OHS website at www.ohs.delaware.gov and click on “Teen Driving” or visit www.teendriving.dmv.de.gov.