Day Five
It is officially CT Safe Teen Driving Awareness Week -- Day 5.
Dear Parents:
We know you would never transport your child without a seatbelt. They are such precious cargo! So how can we just hand them over the car keys without making sure that they are as protected as possible? We are the still the ultimate managers of our teens driving experience. As such, we need to arm ourselves with these facts:
• Crashes Kill Teens: Motor vehicle crashes are the #1 cause of death for 15-19 year olds. Most teen crashes occur during the first two years of having their license. The first six months are most dangerous for the newly-licensed teen. Provide as much supervised practice as you can during the licensing period.
• Brain Development: Research shows that the portion of the brain that assesses risk and danger does not fully develop until the mid 20’s. Teens are risk-takers, lacking the experience, judgment and maturity to recognize many potentially hazardous situations.
• Passenger Restrictions: Enforce at home state laws on passenger restrictions. Crash risk goes up when teens drive with other teens in the car. This risk also increases with the number of passengers, whether siblings, family or friends, in the vehicle.
• Restrict Night Driving: Fatal crashes are more likely to occur at night. Young drivers are at higher risk for drowsy driving, which causes thousands of crashes each year. Enforce the state curfew.
• It’s the Law - Require Your Teen to Buckle Up: Teens have the lowest rate of seatbelt use. The simplest way to prevent car crash deaths and serious injuries is to buckle up.
• No Drinking and Driving: Connecticut has a Zero-Tolerance Law for teens drinking and driving. Even one drink impairs a teen’s driving ability and increases the risk of a crash. Be a good role model: Don’t drink and drive, and reinforce this message with your teens.
• Teach Your Teen About Distracted Driving: Talking on the phone or with passengers, texting, dialing radio stations, unrestrained pets and other distracting activities in the car increase the risk of a serious crash.
• Vehicle Selection Matters: Avoid having your teen drive high performance vehicles or older model vehicles that lack improved safety technologies.
• Financial Liability: Make your teen aware of the financial consequences of a crash or a citation, including higher family insurance rates and liability for injuries or damage.
• Know Connecticut Teen Driving Laws: The teen driving laws are explained in this brochure. More information, including teens-talking-to teens videos created as part of the DMV teen safe driving video contest, can be found at ct.gov/teendriving.
• Get Involved: Be a role model. Establish your own household rules and consequences. Stick to them no matter the hassle you receive from your teens. Your determination could save their lives.