• Teen Driving Statistics

    Now and for the next several months teens have the greatest risk of being seriously injured or killed in an automobile accident.  When they have a passenger in the car that risk doubles.  This doesn't necessarily mean they were doing something wrong either.  in a split second while they are laughing with their friend or glance at a cell phone someone could hit them! This could happen to any one of us however, teens are inexperienced operators. 

    Here are some more staggering statistics that every parent need to know:

     

    · Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens and about 1/4 involve an underage drinking driver

    · Kids who start drinking young are seven times more likely to be in an alcohol related crash

    · High school students who use alcohol or other substances are five times more likely to drop out of school. 

    · Teen alcohol use kills about 4,700 people each year, more than all illegal drugs combined.

    · n 2011, 226 children were killed in drunk driving crashes.  Of those, 122 (54%) were riding with a drunk driver.

    · The rate of drunk driving is highest among 21-25 year olds

    · One in six teens binge drink.  Only 1 in 100 parents believes his or her teen binge drinks.

    · Almost one in three 8th graders has tried alcohol.

    · Almost every 90 seconds, a person is injured in a drunk driving crash. 

    · In 2012, 10,322 people died in drunk driving crashes - one every 51 minutes 

     

    Driver Education

    Many schools offer driver education classes either during the school year or over the summer.  We strongly recommend that your teen participate in this program if offered.  You may also be able to find an independent driving school locally that will provide one on one training with your teen.  If either of those resources are an option, training from a parent or guardian can work.  

     

    As a parent, you can have a positive impact through knowledge of the New York State Graduated Driver License (GDL) law. You can contribute to the driving safety of your teen if you:

    · Accurately certify that your teen has had the required hours of practice driving with you as required by the GDL law.  Before your teen can take the road test, they must complete at least 50 hours of practice driving, with at least 15 hours at night (after sunset) with a parent, guardian or driving instructor. The parent, guardian or instructor must certify the supervised practice driving on a Certification of Supervised Driving (MV-262). Form MV-262 must be given to the DMV license examiner the day your teen takes their road test.

     

    · Sign a parent and teen driving contract.  Available for immediate download our FREE parent-teen driving contract  - we have found in our years of experience by having teens simply sign this piece of paper they hold themselves accountable.  It gives you both a chance to sit down and discuss the rules. What is and what is not acceptable.

     

    · Enroll in the TEENS (Teen Electronic Event Notification Service) program.  Parental enrollment in TEENS is voluntary, and there is no fee. There are three ways for parents to enroll in the program:

     

    1. Enroll in TEENS online through MYDMV, the new NYS DMV customer interface.

    2. Complete the MV-TEENS (Teen Electronic Event Notification Service (TENNS) Enrollment and Consent) and submit the form to the DMV.

    3. Enroll in TEENS when an eligible young driver applies for their learner permit at any local DMV office with their parent or guardian.

     

    ·  Know when you must withdraw your consent of driving privileges if your teenager is not ready for the responsibility of driving. Regardless of the reason, you can withdraw your consent for driving privileges if your teen is: under age 18, and has a driver license with a Class designation that includes the letter "J" (junior), for example "DJ" or "MJ".

     

    · We also encourage all of our youthful drivers to watch the video available from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.  It is a 16 min free video: Young Drivers: The High Risk Years.

     

    For more information on teens and auto insurance please feel free to contact me.

     

    Lisa Flaherty, CISR

    Licensed Account Executive

    Tanner Insurance Agency, Inc.