Advisors Insurance Agency wants to make sure you have the information you need when it is time for that driving safety talk. Additionally, we have included some resources to help you teach your teen to drive once their beginner’s permit has been obtained.
When teens begin to drive, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National Safety Council, the sobering statistics start to pile up:
- Car crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens ages 14 through 18.
- A teen’s crash risk is three times that of more experienced drivers.
- Being in a car with three or more teen passengers quadruples a teen driver’s crash risk.
- More than half of teens killed in crashes were not wearing a seat belt.
Start by setting a good example yourself. Set time aside to have a serious discussion about the following issues. They all have a large impact on the safety of teen drivers and driving safety:
Just recently, the DMV unveiled a
program to assist parents
teaching their teens to drive. Once new drivers have obtained their beginner’s permit, the
Parents’ Supervised Driving Program
(or PSDP), leads participants through weekly lessons behind the wheel to prepare for their driving tests. This program was developed by Safe Roads Alliance, a non-profit dedicated to promoting safer driving through education for drivers of all ages. Visit the site for more information on the
program specific to South Carolina, as well as additional resources. In South Carolina, drivers are required to log at least 40 hours on the road with an authorized adult while learning to drive.
Of course, any driver needs to have a good grasp on the laws and rules of the road, and, because teens don’t have much experience, it’s important to have regular conversations about safe driving. How teens drive doesn’t just depend on them. It depends on you, too!