Safe Teen Driving Blog

Two studies, one by Allstate Insurance Company and the other by Reader's Digest, indicate that geography plays a part in teens' risk of injury and death in motor vehicle crashes. And because of their age group, teens are already at great risk. The number one killer of American teens is motor vehicle crashes; one study shows that the problem is particularly serious in Florida. Every year, over 5,000 people aged 16-20 are killed in motor vehicle collisions, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The ten riskiest cities out of the 50 largest urban areas in the US were selected using statistics from the national Census Bureau, federal crash data, and company claims information on teen passenger vehicle collisions. The most dangerous US cities for teen drivers are Southern, with the top three in Florida. Of the top 50 cities in the country for teen fatality crashes, Tampa/St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Orlando/Kissimmee, and Jacksonville rank number one, two and three, respectively.

The analysis by Reader's Digest categorizes states according to their current Graduated Driver's Licensing (GDL), seat belt, and Driving Under the Influence (DUI) laws. According to the study, Alaska, California and Delaware rank as the top three; three of the worst states include North Dakota, Mississippi and Arkansas. Florida is categorized as "Fair," the next-to-lowest ranking. Interestingly, California cities also scored high in the Allstate study: San Francisco/Oakland, San Jose, and Los Angeles were numbers one, two, and four.

Factors that contribute to teen motor vehicle crashes include:

• Speeding/driving too fast for conditions -Driver distraction, including cell phone use and dealing with passengers -Inexperience -Driving at night -Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (including prescription and over-the-counter drugs)
  
  
• Teens also often neglect to wear their seat belts, increasing the risk of serious injury or death in a crash. An observational study by the Utah Department of Health found that the teen seat belt use rate falls when other high-risk factors are present, such as when teens drive under the influence of alcohol, drive at night, have multiple teen passengers, or are driving without a driver's license.

The risk factors listed above, including seat belt requirements, are addressed by GDL laws in many states. Before advancing to the next phase of licensure, young drivers must show progress by complying with specific restrictions. Driver education was a part of the curriculum in 90% of US high schools during the 1980s; in 2009, only 20% do. GDL laws are of increasing significance in the effort to reduce teen crash rates, because teens get most of their driver training from their parents and are often subject only to state requirements after licensure.

While a national model for GDL laws has existed since the mid-1990s, no state follows all of the requirements. To show the disparities among states, The National Safety Commission (TNSC) analyzed the GDL laws in four states: California, Florida, Mississippi, and North Dakota.

Labels: teen driver, teen drivers, teen driving, teens and distracted driving

Many parents who warn their teens repeatedly not to use illegal drugs are unaware of the temptation and risk posed by over-the-counter medications such as cough medicine. But cough medicine provides an inexpensive, easily accessible high to one out of 11 teens, according to the Partnership for a Drug-free America. And teens are often ignorant of or in denial about the risks posed by over-the-counter medicines which, they reason, are safe and legal. A 2008 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study indicated that only 45% of teens think taking cough medicine to get high is hazardous. Teens may not consider that though dextromethorphan (DXM) is safe to take in the recommended 15-to 30-milligram dose, they are likely to consume 360 milligrams or more in the effort to get high.

The effects of overdosing on DXM include:

Confusion

Impaired judgment

Blurred vision

Slurred speech

Dizziness

Nausea and vomiting

Excessive sweating

Loss of motor control

Dissociative (out-of-body) sensations

Paranoia

Hallucinations

Irregular heartbeat

Loss of consciousness

Seizures

Brain damage

Death

The situation becomes even more dangerous when teens abuse drugs they believe are safe and then get behind the wheel. To make matters worse, many teens who experiment with using cough medicine to get high do so when they are already under the influence of another drug, such as alcohol. This intensifies the effects, and, of course, makes driving riskier.

Information on how to abuse DXM is readily available on the internet and via teens' friends, so parents must counteract it with information of their own - and with vigilance. Here are some tips for parents:

Familiarize yourself with the basics of cough medicine abuse. Words to watch for (on your teen's internet history) and listen for include Dex, DXM, Robo, Robo-ing, Robo- tripping, Skittles, Skittling, Syrup, Triple-C, and Tussin. DXM is found in syrups, lozenges, tablets, capsules, and gel caps labeled DM, cough suppressant, or tuss, or include the word "tuss" in the name.

Include discussions about the risks of abusing over-the-counter drugs in your regular talks with your teen. Explain the difference between therapeutic dosages and overdosing, as well as the effects. Tell your teen that you want to know whenever they need to take any medication for any reason.

Lock your medicine cabinet or keep medicines that contain DXM in a location that isn't accessible to your teen. Keep track of how much medicine is in each container. Avoid buying multiples of medicines that contain DXM; doing so can be tempting to teens, and also makes it more difficult for you to keep track of the total amount of medicine in your household.

Observe your teen, your teen's bedroom and bathroom, and recreational areas carefully for medicinal smells and empty cough medicine containers.

Labels: driver education, teen driver

Teens are often urged to "drive defensively." This is an excellent suggestion for any driver and is of particular importance to new drivers, who have limited experience in dealing with emergency situations and who are developing driving habits they may have for the rest of their lives. But what is defensive driving, exactly?

Driving defensively means driving in such a way that you reduce the risk of a crash, which will in turn prevent injury to yourself and others. It means going beyond following the rules of the road to put safety first. For example, if another driver is supposed to yield the right-of-way to you but fails to do so, as a defensive driver you will yield the right-of-way to that driver to avoid a collision.

Defensive driving isn't just important in emergency situations, however. Using defensive driving techniques will help you:
-manage stressful driving conditions
-avoid traffic tickets
-keep your vehicle in good mechanical condition
-keep your driver's license

There is no doubt that driving can be stressful, especially when traffic is heavy. One element of defensive driving is to maintain an adequate following distance from the vehicle in front of you. This decreases the risk of a rear-end collision if the vehicle ahead stops suddenly. Other ways to manage stress by driving defensively include:
-driving at a speed that is appropriate for conditions (which may be lower than, but is never higher than, the posted speed limit)
-checking intersections for cross traffic when you have a green traffic light (in case another driver runs the red light or a pedestrian is in the crosswalk)
-keeping a space cushion on all sides of your vehicle so you have room to maneuver if necessary
-watching the road ahead of your vehicle and checking your mirrors every three to five seconds so you notice hazards before they become a problem

Avoiding traffic tickets is especially important to drivers who are subject to a Graduated Driver's Licensing program; these programs often restrict advancement to the next stage of licensure unless very few or no points accrue on the teen's license. Traffic violations also mean hefty insurance increases for young drivers, who are already paying high rates because they are in a high-risk category. But following the rules of the road only when you're worried about getting a ticket is not sufficient; if you're not concentrating on driving defensively, you're likely to make mistakes due to your reduced level of alertness. These mistakes could result in a ticket or even a crash, and even a minor fender-bender can result in points on your driving record.

Part of defensive driving is making sure that your vehicle is in good mechanical condition. Don't wait for a breakdown to get your vehicle checked out; your owner's manual offers a schedule of suggested maintenance tasks. Tires with low air or worn tread reduce your traction and make skids more likely. Your brakes need to be in top condition at all times. Even something as simple as not having windshield wiper fluid in the reservoir can impair your visibility and increase your chances of a crash. Don't just put gas in the car and drive; take responsibility for ensuring that your vehicle is ready for the road.

As you've probably learned from your driver handbook, having a driver's license is a privilege, not a right. This means that your driver's license can be taken away, including for some non-driving offenses. Driving defensively is part of an overall pattern of responsible behavior that will help you keep your license and the increased level of independence that comes with it.

Labels: defensive driving, driver education, teen driver