Tag Archive: parent teen driving
Can I Get a DUI from My Cough Medicine?
December 9, 2008
Many first-time drivers know that Driving Under the Influence (DUI) of alcohol is extremely dangerous. But they may not realize that the cold medicine they take could cause a level of impairment similar to that of drinking alcohol and in many states, could even result in arrest and conviction of DUI. Though over-the-counter drugs are legal, they are not always harmless.
Many teenagers will take over-the-counter drugs to stop a headache or relieve cold symptoms. Some take larger amounts of over-the-counter drugs to get high and feel good. Of course, this is particularly risky because taking any drug in large quantities results in a higher level of impairment, but it is important to know that even the recommended dosage of an over-the-counter drug can reduce your driving skills. Your coordination, decision-making, and reaction time can be affected.
Over-the-counter medications are required to have printed warnings about side effects, including driving risks. The bad news is, many people don’t read the warning or they don’t believe it is meant for them. If you don’t understand these warnings, ask a pharmacist for help. Remember that many over-the-counter drugs, such as those that provide multi-symptom cold relief, contain several types of drugs in one pill. Select a medication that treats only the symptoms from which you actually suffer.
Here is a partial list of legal, over-the-counter drugs that could impair your ability to drive.
- Allergy medicines/Antihistamines
- Decongestants
- Cough syrups
- Motion sickness medication
- Ulcer medication
- Alcohol-containing medicines
- Caffeine-containing medicines
For example, antihistamines slow down reaction time, impair coordination, and can make you extremely sleepy – so sleepy you can’t even hold your head up. Decongestants, which may be combined with antihistamines in multi-symptom cold medicines, can cause anxiety and dizziness. And though many people who take caffeine-containing medications do so to stay awake, the effects of these drugs don’t last long and can end abruptly, leaving you even more tired than before you took the drug. Caffeine is also found in many headache relievers – check the ingredients list of every medicine you take so you’ll be aware of what you’re taking and can consider the effects before you get behind the wheel.
Some over-the-counter drugs (such as cough medicine, which contains alcohol) may temporarily make you feel more alert and confident when you’re driving. This is because your judgment is impaired, not because you’re a better driver than you were before you took the drug. Drugs can fool you into believing you’re in control of your driving when you are, in fact, impaired. Remember, you are responsible for making sure that you are unimpaired by any substance when you drive.
The effects of some over-the-counter drugs may not be apparent until an hour or two after you take them; never put yourself in the position of getting out on the road only to realize you are impaired. And not everyone reacts the same way to the same drug every time, so you could suffer unexpected side effects even if you’ve taken that particular drug in the past with no problems. Plan ahead. Ask a parent or friend to drive you if you need to go somewhere. Realize that if you’re sick enough to need medication, the symptoms of your illness may cause enough impairment that you shouldn’t drive, even if the medication itself doesn’t cause problems.
Nearly Half of Teens Admit to Texting While Driving
December 1, 2008
While recent studies indicate that teens agree that texting while driving is dangerously distracting, a significant number still continue to do so.
In a 2007 study by SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) and Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, 37% of teens rated text messaging as “extremely” or “very” distracting. A statewide study by AAA Colorado showed teens feel even more strongly about the risk:
- 97% think text messaging while driving is dangerous.
- 91% think there should be legal limits on cell phone use, including text messaging, while driving (these laws do exist in many states; some target only teens, while others extend to all drivers).
- 74% admitted not knowing the law regarding cell phone use and driving in Colorado (meaning education and enforcement should be a priority).
- 73% said strict penalties, such as losing their licenses, would make them less likely to text while driving.
But in a separate AAA study, 46% of teens admitted to texting while driving. And in the Colorado study, the numbers were even higher – 51% confessed to it, and 38% admitted taking their eyes off the road while text messaging.
Many states have or are considering laws prohibiting teens from texting while driving. California’s law went into effect on July 1. California Highway Patrol spokesman Tom Marshall said that officers have to spot another offense before stopping teen drivers who are text-messaging because the law classifies texting and driving by teens as a secondary offense.
After the Colorado survey, state troopers planned to increase education efforts and continue cracking down on drivers who break the existing law, which makes it illegal for teens with an instruction permit to use a cell phone, whether talking or texting, while driving.
Whether the law supports them or not, parents need to take a stand with their teens against text messaging. Teens know the danger exists, but the feeling of invincibility and the desire to maintain close contact with friends that are typical of this age allows them to ignore it. Many teens won’t comply with a directive against text messaging while driving unless they know there are consequences. In the SADD/Liberty Mutual study, 52% of teens who say their parents are unlikely to follow through on punishment if they drive and text will continue to do so, compared to only 36% of teens who believe their parents would penalize them.
To educate your teen about the risk, ask your teen to tell you how texting and other distractions would affect your driving as you drive with the teen as a passenger. Would you have missed that traffic light? Rear-ended a stopped school bus? Veered over the center line? Share the following tips (be sure to follow them yourself to set a good example):
- Turn off your cell phone while driving. Let voicemail capture your voice and text messages.
- Pull off the road safely and stop if you need to send a text.
- Recognize that wanting to be available at all times can be a habit that will negatively affect your driving at best and could cause a terrible crash at worse. Let friends and family know that you won’t be responding to text messages while driving.
- If you just can’t resist texting and driving, put your phone somewhere you can’t reach it, like the trunk of your car.
Parents often want their children to be available by phone at all times, but you are putting your child at great risk by expecting an instant response to your “Wher R U?” text. Establish regular check-in times when your teen won’t be driving, and resist the urge to text at other times.
Review your teen’s cell phone bill with them regularly to see if they are texting at times when they are likely to be driving. Specify the penalty for violating the rule ahead of time, and be sure to apply the punishment consistently if your teen breaks the rule. Teens should sign a Parent Teen Driving contract in which they agree to focus all of their attention on driving during each and every trip.
Whether your state has a graduated driver’s licensing law or not, use a Driving Log to keep track of the hours you spend on your teen’s driver training. Make a note in the log to review common driver distractions, including texting, during each lesson.
If you’re wondering whether you could simply disable the cell phone while your teen is driving, thereby reducing the need for your policing efforts, wonder no more – cell phone jammers are illegal. Though the law, enacted in 1934, was mainly written to protect radio and television broadcasters from the pirating of their airwaves, the penalties for having the technology are severe – a fine up to $11,000 and a jail term of up to one year.
What is More Dangerous than Being a Teen Driver? Being a Teen Who Rides with One!
November 30, 2008
Many parents know that training their teen to be a good driver is critical to the teen’s safety. But parents also need to limit the number of passengers who ride with their teen and pay attention to the teen drivers their children ride with as passengers. Studies show that the presence of one passenger doubles the fatal crash risk for a teen driver, and the risk increases with each additional passengers. Forty percent of teen motor-vehicle deaths involve passengers.
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among American teenagers, accounting for 36% of all deaths of teens aged 15-19. Two-thirds of the deaths of passengers in this age group happen in cars driven by other teenagers.
In a study at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, researchers discovered that:
- A 16-year-old carrying one passenger is 39% more likely to get killed than one driving alone.
- The likelihood increases 86% with two passengers and 182% with three or more.
- The rate for 17-year-olds is still higher – 48% with one passenger, 158% with two passengers, and 207% with three passengers.
A study by the University of Michigan Transportation Institute said that the most significant risk issues for teen drivers are teen passengers, driving on weekends and driving at night. In addition, the researchers found that 56% of the teen drivers in the study had been in at least one crash.
Even teens seem to understand the risk. A 2008 survey by Erie Insurance Company found that although 91% of teens think they are driving safely, only 34% could say the same of their friends. Ninety-seven percent of the teens surveyed said they had seen other teen drivers participating in risky behaviors such as speeding and not wearing seatbelts. Forty-eight percent said they are easily distracted when friends are passengers. In a separate study by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm, the number was even higher – 94% of teens said that passengers distracted the driver in some way; for example, by talking on a cell phone or listening to loud music.
In addition to the distraction caused by cell phones and loud music, a study by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health found that teenage drivers of both genders were more likely to tailgate and exceed the speed limit if there was a teenage male passenger in the front seat. In fact, when a male passenger was in the vehicle, a quarter of teenage drivers exceeded the speed limit by at least 15 miles per hour. Also, female teen drivers were slightly more likely to tailgate if there was a female teen passenger in the vehicle with them.
Increasing the risk still further is the phenomenon of teen passengers not using seat belts. Studies show that even teens who buckle up as drivers often neglect to wear a safety belt when they are passengers in another teen’s car.
Researchers from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, TN analyzed data from national youth risk behavior surveys collected in 2001 and 2003 from 12,731 black, white and Hispanic high school students aged 16 and older. The study found that 59% of the teens always used safety belts while driving, but only 42% always buckled up as passengers. Only about 1/3 of the students surveyed said they always wore safety belts whether driving or riding as a passenger.
Passenger restrictions for teen drivers already exist as part of Graduated Licensing Laws in many states, and research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicated that passenger restrictions reduce crashes among 16-year-old drivers, so familiarize yourself with the laws in your state. If restrictions exist, be sure to enforce them as part of your house rules. If there are no restrictions, review the requirements in a few nearby states so you can create your own. Be sure to investigate the teen drivers your child might ride with – talk to the teen’s parents about the driver training the teen has received, and address any indiscretions (such as peeling out of your driveway) promptly. Make sure your teen knows the importance of wearing a safety belt, whether driving or riding as a passenger, and teach your teen not to distract other drivers. Review teen driver safety topics with your teen on a regular basis – use this newsletter for ideas.
Whether legislated or not, restrictions on passengers for teen drivers are necessary for your teen’s safety. Traffic deaths for teens have decreased significantly since passenger and other restrictions were added to Colorado’s Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) law in 2005. In the three years prior to the enactment of passenger restrictions, more than 100 drivers and passengers aged 15-20 died on Colorado roadways each year. In 2006, the year after the restrictions went into effect, the number of teens killed dropped to 72, and in 2007, the number dropped again to 51- a 50% drop since 2003. These restrictions must be enforced to make a difference – by parents as well as by law enforcement.
“We will continue to be vigilant in enforcing the state’s GDL law, but we also need parents’ help in making sure the law is followed at home,” said Col. Mark Trostel, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “Sign a parent-teen driving agreement, don’t allow your teenager to have too many passengers during their first year of driving, establish a driving curfew, make sure they buckle up every time, and set yourself as an example.”
Help… My Teenager Drives Like a 70-Year-Old!
November 21, 2008
That will be the cry of parents everywhere if they do not enforce state laws – or their own house rules – prohibiting their teens from talking on a cellular telephone while driving.
Research published by the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) says that talking on a cell phone turns the reaction time of the average 20-year-old driver into that of a 70-year-old. Researchers observed study participants on four simulated 10-mile trips lasting 10 minutes each. Participants talked on a cell phone during half of the trips and drove without talking for the other half. Hands-free cell phones were used for the study. The results of the study indicated that young drivers were 18% slower in braking response time and took 17% longer to regain the speed they lost while braking when they were using the cell phone.
The difference seems small but is significant – an extra fraction of a second could mean the difference between life and death in an emergency situation.
Young drivers (the term typically refers to drivers under the age of 21) need to know that the fast reflexes and excellent coordination they take for granted can easily be compromised when they submit to the lure of using a cell phone behind the wheel.
And parents of young drivers need to know that enforcement of cell phone laws depends on the example they set for their own teens and enforcement of (or creation of, if there’s no state law) a strict rule about not driving while talking on a cell phone in their own household. Recent research indicates that enactment of a state law prohibiting cell phone use while driving is not sufficient to keep teens from doing so.
A study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety/UNC Highway Safety Research Center showed that teenage drivers’ cell phone use actually went up after the state of North Carolina enacted a ban on cell phone use by young drivers. The ban on cell phone use by drivers younger than age 18 is part of the state’s graduated licensing program.
One to two months prior to the ban’s start on Dec. 1, 2006, researchers observed 11% of teen drivers using cell phones as they drove away from school in the afternoon. About five months after the ban, they observed nearly 12% of teen drivers using phones. Half of the teens surveyed by phone after the law took effect said that they had used their cell phones, if they had driven, the day before the interview.
Interestingly, both young drivers and their parents strongly support the law (74% of teens and 95% of their parents) and say that the problem is that it isn’t being enforced. But teens have a far better rate of compliance with other graduated licensing restrictions even when those laws aren’t well-enforced.
“Most young drivers comply with graduated licensing restrictions such as limits on nighttime driving and passengers, even when enforcement is low,” says Anne McCartt, Institute senior vice president for research and an author of the study. “The hope in North Carolina was that the same would hold true for cell phone use, but this wasn’t the case…Parents play a big role in compliance with graduated licensing rules.”
Studies show that teenage minds are predisposed to risk-taking. In 2005 and 2006, a series of risk-reward studies across a range of age groups funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and published in The Journal of Neuroscience showed that when confronted with risky choices, the brains of teenagers exhibit twice as much activity in the impulse area as adult brains, while the area that expresses restraint shows less activity. The study indicated that it takes until the early 20s for the two areas to reach parity.
This biological imperative to throw caution to the wind, combined with a teenager’s natural rebellion and peer pressure to be able to handle dangerous situations without exhibiting fear, is a deadly mix.
Enforcement of the law is typically the purview of law enforcement, not parents. But a teen may only be motivated to comply when the law and parental “house rules” intersect, as in the case of driving curfews that are part of the graduated driver’s license programs in most states and household curfews that parents implement for the health and safety of their children.
“Cell phone bans for teen drivers are difficult to enforce,” McCartt says. “Drivers with phones to their ears aren’t hard to spot, but it’s nearly impossible for police officers to see hands-free devices or correctly guess how old drivers are.”
And Barbara Harsha, executive direction of the Governors Highway Safety Association, says, “What [cell phones while driving] laws do is send the message to the parent more than anything else.”
When surveyed after the cell phone restrictions in North Carolina took effect, only 39% of parents said they were aware of the cell phone law, compared with 64% of teen drivers. If only 39% of parents even knew the law existed, how many parents had discussed the law with their children? If parents knew about the law, they could use it to support their own house rules. If cell phone use while driving hadn’t been banned by the parents previously, they could use the state law as support for a new house rule.
Perhaps most difficult for some parents is setting a good example for their teens. Parents must drive the speed limit, wear their seat belts, avoid driving distractions such as cell phone use, and drive defensively. They should pull over to use their cell phones or have a passenger answer it instead. Parents should use this time to point out drivers who demonstrate risky behavior, including talking on cell phones, and initiate a discussion by asking the teen driver to explain why it’s unsafe. Here is a Parent Teen Driving Contract with recommendations from the Driver Education Handbook for Parents to help you and your teen compose a practical contract of rules regarding driving expectations.
Poor Decision Making a Key Factor in Teen Driving Accidents and Fatalities?
January 25, 2008
There was a recent editorial on teen driving on teenspeakonline.com and it addressed the new driving laws in Illinois as well as the ineffectiveness that they expect them to have. This editorial says that teen drivers are not necessarily bad ones but rather they make poor decisions. Hmmm … this is no new news to many people.
The editorial goes on to say that teen drivers are a bigger risk because they put themselves into more and more risky driving situations. Yes, this is definitely true and then the editorial goes on to say politicians are well-meaning in their approval and passing of newer, stricter driving laws but that they are not going to do any good. Now this is where things get a little interesting.
The teen writing this editorial goes on to say that the new laws are increasing the waiting time a teen has in order to receive their license but not increasing the practice time requirement. They believe that the extra wait time infers the need for additional practice time. This is likely accurate because it is definitely hopeful that teens will not just sit around waiting for the magical day but rather do something constructive like practice.
This teen editorial goes on to say that the new laws which increase the restriction of driving with more than one teen passenger in the car is getting bumped from 6 months to a year and teens do not understand this law. This editorialist continues on that their driver’s education class just spouts off the new laws but does not talk about the “whys” of it all. Ok, this is where the teen starts to make excuses for their generation. Basically the gist is that because teens don’t understand some of the laws that mean they are going to break them anyway. What?
Teenagers want adults to give them some credit (meaning common sense) when it comes to driving and yet the teen editorialist is basically pleading some type of ignorance saying that teens don’t understand why some of these laws are being put in place? Teens are savvy and they know exactly why these laws are being passed – because their peers are being killed!