CLEVELAND — Oct. 20-26 is National Teen Driver Safety Week, an opportunity for families to speak with their teens about safe driving habits to keep them safe on the roads. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk of motor vehicle crashes is highest among 16-19 year olds compared to any other age group.
The National Road Safety Foundation has made it their mission to get out the word about safe driving behaviors, encouraging parents to talk to their kids about safety behind the wheel.
David Reich, director of public relations for the foundation, says the only acceptable number of traffic fatalities is zero, and parents can play a big role in keeping the roads safe.
“They need to speak with their young people about safe driving behavior,” Reich said. “They need to talk to them about things like speeding, which is a very big factor in crashes, especially fatal crashes. They also need to speak to them about distraction.”
Reich warns that teens are often more easily distracted than older drivers, especially when it comes to cell phone usage and when there are other teens in the car with them. Reich suggests parents talk to their kids about these dangers, in addition to factors like speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, even prescription drugs that can make you drowsy.
Additionally, Reich said parents can use apps to monitor their teen’s driving habits to ensure they’re being safe on the road, or utilize The National Road Safety Foundation’s free, downloadable Passport to Safe Driving, which has tips and information for families.
“It's a life-or-death situation. I hate to put it in such blunt terms, but that's true. And nobody wants to get a call in the middle of the night or have a police officer knocking at their door with some horrendous, life-changing news about a crash and a serious injury or worse,” he said. “So parents need to take the time to talk to their kids and say, ‘Listen, I'm not trying to be a pain, but I love you and I don't want to get that call.’”
While educating your teen on the dos and dont’s of the road is key, Reich also reminds parents that kids are always watching, and that parents need to model safe behaviors and habits.
“If they see that you speed, if they see that you’re texting or using your cell phone while you’re behind the wheel, or blowing through a stop sign, they may know that’s wrong, but hey, if mom or dad does it, I guess it’s OK." he said. "So really, it’s on us as adults, it’s on parents to be good role models. We have to set a good example because our kids are watching and they're going to mimic our behavior. So we've got to be good drivers if we want our kids to be good drivers.”