Category Archive: Parents
Study: Parents Don’t Devote Enough Time To Driving Instruction
April 18, 2014
One of the major problems with the US system of training teens to drive is that parents don’t have the training they need to properly train their teens to drive. While driving may be second nature to parents, it’s all new to the teen and with the teen at the wheel, parents miss out on a lot of “teachable moments.”
Researchers at the Highway Safety Research Centre at the University of North Carolina installed video cameras to see how much time parents actually devoted to driving instructions when teaching their teens to drive. The videos showed that parents spend more time on rudimentary vehicle handling techniques and not enough time on “higher order” techniques that will teach the teen to anticipate and plan for possible hazards ahead. Read more: Parents’ driving instruction often superficial
Parents Notified When Teen Is Pulled Over By Police
April 16, 2014
A statewide program in Michigan notifies parents if their teen (ages 16-21) is pulled over and stopped by law enforcement. Once registered, parents receive a sticker that is placed on the vehicle’s window. If their teen is stopped, the parents will receive a text or email notifying them of the event. So far, Michigan is the only state to have this program but it sounds like a good idea to take nationally. Read more: STOPPED ‘puts parents back in the car
Esurance Introduces Free Device to Limit Cell Phone and Texting
March 10, 2014
Esurance, an online insurance company that is a subsidiary of Allstate Insurance has announced a new program that allows parents of teen drivers to install a device that prevents texting and limits the numbers that a teen driver can call.
The program, known as Esurance Drive Safe, provides the device to customers free of charge; it does not however reduce the insurance rate.
According to the Esurance website, the program works like this:
“Once you’ve signed up, we’ll send you a telematics device free of charge with step-by-step instructions on how to get started. Continue Reading
Why Teens are Driving Less
January 24, 2014
America is notoriously known for its driving culture. This is obvious through our freedom to go where we want when we want to individually pervades our movies, music, food, and nearly every other aspect of our lives. Surprisingly though, the “I want it now” generation has taken the proverbial backseat when it comes to obtaining their licenses. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), teens are driving progressively less each year.
“Vehicles-miles traveled” (VMT) has dropped a great deal in the past year, dropping 25 percent compared to the past year. It seems that energy consumption plays a significant role in this trend, for U.S. energy consumption that fuels cars is expected to drop one-quarter to 12.1 quadrillion btu’s by 2040.
So is this indifference to driving a passing phase, or are we entering the last bastion of American driving culture? With self-driving cars and technological advantages in automobiles on the rise, driving may actually be on its way out.
Causes for Less Driving
Researchers at the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) have found that the percentage of young drivers is inversely related to the proportion of Internet users, and those in the “Internet age” are simply driving less. It seems as though social media may take the place of motorized transportation, either fortunately or unfortunately (depending on how you look at it).
“Virtual contact, through electronic means, reduces the need for actual contact,” said Michael Sivak, a research professor in UMTRI’s human factors group.
Sivak is furthering his theory that international data compiled by the Michigan researchers compiled showing that in countries around the world that higher proportion of Internet users throughout the world leads to lower rates of licensed drivers.
The Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) disputes this “virtual access” theory. Their analysis demonstrates that U.S. collision insurance policies confirm the trend, showing the 12 percent drop in covered teen drivers since 2006.
“It looks like teens just can’t afford to drive,” said HLDI Vice President Matt Moore. “Paying for their own cars, gas, and insurance is hard if they can’t find a job.”
Choices, Choices
The nonprofit U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) also feels that something fundamental has changed in how younger people are dealing with transportation.
“Many members of Generation Y have reduced their driving because they choose to take transportation alternatives instead of cars to school, work, and recreation, and because many have chosen to live in ways that require less time behind a card,” PIRG reported. “Growing evidence – both anecdotal and quantitative – suggests that some of this change is being driven by shifts in young people’s priorities and preferences, shifts that could very well persist as Generation Y ages.”
This makes a great deal of sense as car and bike share programs are beginning to pop up in major metropolitan areas. Though theories, these explanations are backed by quantitative data, which is bad news for the automobile industry.
Help Your Teen Become a Better Driver
December 26, 2013
In a recent AAA article, it has been examined that parents who ensure that their teens receive enough practice are more likely to help their teens become safer drivers. Also, though quite unrelated driving, AAA feels that parents who spend more time with their teen drivers prior to them driving on their own also effectively aide in their teens’ driving abilities.
Here at Lowest Price Traffic School, we also place a great deal of emphasis on parental involvement in teen driving. With editionslike Driver Education Handbook for Parents, as well as our Parent Taught Teen Driving course, we help parents more effectively guide their teens into becoming advanced early drivers.
“Unfortunately, teens still have the highest crash rate out of any age group, so it is critical for parents to be involved and use evidence-based techniques that work,” said Dr. William Van Tassel, AAA Manager of Driver Training Programs. “These recommended coaching techniques may seem rather obvious, yet research findings show that parents aren’t regularly practicing these techniques.”
A recent study that surveyed parents and teens during the process of learning to drive found that:
- Nearly half of parents reported that they wanted their teens to get “a lot of practice,” when asked about their teens’ driving skills. Only about one in four parents mentioned practicing in a various situations or conditions, such as bad weather, heavy traffic, or on unfamiliar roads.
- Roughly 47 percent reported that they have not allowed their teen to drive in an unsupervised area, even if they have passed their driving test and received their license.
- Relatively few parents were observed imparting rare driving tips to their teens – such as visual scanning or anticipating other drivers’ behaviors.
Parents should ultimately make sure that their teens receive ample driving practice, which goes beyond getting practice on routine trips on familiar roads. The apparent thought here is that teens will be much more competent drivers, or at least more attentive, in a relatively unfamiliar setting.
If you are looking to bolster your teenager’s driving abilities, then our courses are ideal for you! At Lowest Price Traffic School, we are proud to foster this idea of parent-lead teenage driving safety, and is why we created the programs in the first place. Your children already look to you to learn the rest of life’s lessons, but unlike a few lessons that come from their own personal experiences, the more knowledge you throw their way, the better they will retain the information!