YOUTH RESOURCES: Equipping teens with safe driving practices

For the first time in my life, I have a niece and a nephew who have reached the age to have their driver's permits. My own children are much younger, so I am glad I have several more years before I have to worry about sending them out on the roads by themselves.

As a staff member at Youth Resources, I have heard numerous valuable workshops for teens about the dangers of distracted driving, and our hope is that the information students learn really sinks in and influences their driving behaviors.

But it hasn't been until my own family members have reached the legal driving age that I have found myself wanting to make sure that they understand the importance of safe driving.

They hear the messages at school and in their driver's education class, but it is a message that adults cannot convey enough because the message has the potential to save their lives. is a website for teens that launches national campaigns each year about issues such as safe driving that are important to teens. The website offers these statistics about teens and driving:

Texting while driving makes you four times more likely to cause a crash.

Almost 65 percent of all teen vehicle deaths occurred when another teen was driving.

More than 90 percent of teens admit to doing multiple tasks while driving, such as talking on the cellphone, eating, playing loud music, channel surfing, using mp3 players and interacting with friends in the car.

An overwhelming 75 percent of teens admit to text messaging while driving.

About 54 percent of teenage motor vehicle crash deaths occur on Friday, Saturday or Sunday — with Saturday being the deadliest day of the week for teens.

Most people, not just teenagers, have the it-won't-happen-to-me mentality when they read statistics. So how can family members, teachers, ministers and other caring adults send a message about safe driving that will make a lasting impact in the minds of teenagers?

Lead by example. Don't multitask while you're driving. Show them that changing the song on your iPod, talking on the phone, reading a map, checking your app for the lowest gas prices in the area or anything that will take your focus off the road for even a second can wait until you get to where you can stop and do those things safely.

Teach them not only to be focused drivers but to be responsible passengers. Speak up when the driver is distracted and not paying full attention to the road, even if it's an adult driver.

Limit the number of passengers allowed in the teenager's vehicle. According to the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, teens are four to five times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash when there are three or more passengers in the vehicle.

Make your teenagers responsible for paying their own tickets if they get caught texting, speeding or driving without a seat belt. The laws are in place for a primary reason — to keep people safe. Making your teens own up to their bad judgment by breaking the law and paying the consequences themselves will have a lasting long-term effect on them.

Implement a family contract. has a downloadable contract that lists the most distracting behaviors while driving. Have your teens sign it and parents write down the consequence that will be enforced for that behavior. Again, lead by example and sign a contract yourself, too.

Parents and caring adults should not underestimate the influence they can have on teenagers, even when teens act as if they are not listening.

Discussions about serious topics such as safe driving should be ongoing during teachable moments that happen every day in natural situations, whether you are eating dinner, driving in the car or watching a movie together.

Teens are reluctant to listen if you sit them down for a five-minute do-this-and-don't-do-that discussion dominated by the adult. Try not to be so distracted yourself that you miss teachable moments about safe driving that could save a teenager's life.
