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Safe Driving Resources

Written By Rebecca White-Glanders

When your teenagers starts driving, you want to make sure you're giving them the safest possible start. Ensuring their safety is your first priority, and rightly so - motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death among teenagers. All states have special requirements and restrictions for young drivers, and many have instituted a three-tiered graduated licensing system designed to safeguard your child. Still, you may be wondering if there are additional safeguards or resources you can provide. Fortunately, there are. Below are a few great teen driver safety resources to help your child stay safe behind the wheel.

NHTSA Teen Driver Safety Page

The National Highway & Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers a full page of teen driver safety resources for parents and teens on their Web site. Some of the great pieces available on this page include:

Smashed: Toxic Tales Of Teens And Alcohol
Smart Drivers Just Drive
Graduated Drivers Licensing
A Family Guide To Teen Driver Safety
Novice Driver Road Map

There's a lot more available on the NHTSA Teen Driver Safety Page, including statistics on teenage driving and more.

Quia Driver Education Games

This helpful site offers teenagers state-specific, interactive games and quizzes to help them learn the information they need to know about road safety and pass their driving tests. For instance, under the Indiana tab, a game is offered which matches various street signs to their meanings - helpful knowledge for the driver-to-be. This site allows teenagers to learn more about road safety in a familiar, computer game setting, at no charge to families.

American Driver & Traffic Safety Education Administration Education Program ($199)

ADTSEA provides a unique and comprehensive driver education program that goes beyond traditional driver's ed to provide extra information and unique perspectives on driver safety. Some parts of the curriculum which stand out are:

Sharing The Road With Commercial Motor Vehicles
Using Your Eyes Effectively
Managing Space & Time
Searching For Clues To Motor Vehicle Conflicts
Critical Time/Space Decisions
Vehicle Functions & Malfunctions

These are all aspects of driving that successful drivers need to know and understand, but are often not taught in traditional driver's ed programs. Going beyond the basics is important, so your child understands the car they drive, their responsibilities and the actions of the cars around them.

TeenDriving.com

This site was started more than ten years ago by a high school student who was bothered by the large number of his peers who were involved in auto accidents. This site is user-friendly and geared towards teenagers, offering tips on safe driving for teens. The site responds to lots of frequently asked driving questions that teens have, including tips on how to parallel park without wrecking the car.

ConnectWithKids.com

The goal of this site is to help kids and parents connect, and that includes teen driving issues. One interesting piece is on girls and car crashes, and how teenage girls are driving more aggressively than ever before. Other helpful pieces on this site include Text Messaging & Driving and an article on teen road rage.

Parent-Teen Driving Contract

These contracts are gaining in popularity, and can help define exactly what is expected of both parent and teen when a teenager starts to drive. There are many examples of parent-teen driving contracts online, or you can create your own. One example was put together for parents by Allstate. In this contract, parent and teen go over common driving problems, statistics on them, and the consequences for breaking that rule, after which both parent and child sign. This way, there is no misunderstanding about what is and is not acceptable, and consequences for inappropriate driving behaviors are laid out in advance.

Whatever methods you use to help further prepare your teen for driving, the most important thing is that you continue to care and continue to help your child become a better driver. Educating your child and holding them responsible for their actions allows them to work within the boundaries you set and become competent, skilled adult drivers.

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