Why do a Teen Driving Contract?
Teaching your teen to drive safely is one of your most important responsibilities as a parent.
- Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, accounting for more than one in three deaths in this age group.
- Compared with other age groups, teens have the lowest rate of seat belt use. In 2005, 10.2% of high school students reported they rarely or never wear seat belts when riding with someone else.
- Teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely than older drivers to crash.
- Seventy percent of teen drivers who were involved in fatal crashes and had been drinking alcohol prior to the crash were not wearing seat belts.
- Crash risk is highest during the first years of independent driving
Data is from the CDC and NHTSA
Benefits of a Teen Driving Contract:
- Your teenager will know that you take this matter very seriously and that driving is a serious matter.
- It clearly states the driving rules and privileges as well as the consequences for breaking them
- Your teenager will agree to each of the terms and will have no argument when a punishment is enforced.
Completing a Parent-Teen Driving Contact will be most effective if the concept and expectations are presented in advance (preferably at age 14).
Make clear that your teen will not be allowed to drive until an agreement is reached and both parties have signed the contract and initialed each term presented in it.
Before continuing on with the online Parent-Teen Driving Contract tool, make sure you have set aside at least 30 minutes with your teen to create it together and discuss each of the contract terms. When you reach the end, you'll be able to print it out, sign it and post a copy in your home for easy reference so there's never any doubt about the terms both parties have agreed to.
