U.S. Parents to Help Teen Drivers

1.

2. Transportation//Safety

3. National Level

4. A problem/issue that individuals/families face

5. There should be a policy in place to encourage teenagers to be safer drivers. The problem begins with the adults/parents who need to provide guidance to their teenage drivers.

6. Teenage driving is considered to be a privilege to many young adults. The problem with this is that because of their age, many teenagers do not take into account all the dangers there are on the road. There should be a policy put in place to encourage parents to speak to their teens about the proper way of driving. There should be an additional policy on top of the requirements already put in place for teenagers to get their drivers license. As a young teen, I had the opportunity to do the parent taught program. Honestly, I can say the only thing I learned from my dad is how to move and utilize the actual motor vehicle. Yes, I learned the obvious, the stop signs, what the yield signs symbolize, but my father never really sat down to talk to me about the importance of driving safety. Of course, it wasn’t in the handbook or it wasn’t required by the state in order to obtain my driver’s license, but as an older adult it was his responsibility to have a talk with me. I feel like this is common in many households and it should be added into the handbook and should be a requirement for any teenage driver whether it is a parent taught program or a school program. This article emphasizes on the “5 to Drive” safety topics which include: no cell phones or texting, no extra passengers, no speeding, no alcohol, no driving or riding without a seatbelt. Yes, most of these things are an obvious, but it would not hurt if there was a policy put in place to encourage parents to elaborate on these safety tips.