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Though
it may seem only yesterday that your son or daughter was
taking a first wobbly bike ride, your soon-to-be
16-year-old is now itching to get behind the wheel of
the family car. While you can't stop your teens from
growing up, you can make sure that once they are driving
or riding with friends, they know the risks and
responsibilities of the open road.
For
many teens, driving represents freedom. No longer are
they beholden to mom or dad to get to the mall or visit
a friend. Driving and owning a car can also give them
status among their peers. And for parents who are
scheduled to the hilt, having a teen driver can be a
real timesaver.
Yet
teens are at greater risk for accidents and fatalities
than any other group of drivers due to inexperience and
such behaviors as speeding, aggressive driving and
tailgating. Becoming a teen driver also carries hefty
legal and financial responsibilities. Consider this:
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At
age 16, a teen is legally culpable, meaning if
stopped for DUI or DWI or involved in a crash that
injures or kills someone, he or she will be tried in
adult court and could be sent to prison.
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The
average fine for speeding just 10 miles over the
limit is $60 to $200. That's a lot of hours spent
slinging burgers to pay the fine.
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Teens
who work to buy and maintain a car have less time to
focus on school work or extracurricular activities.
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Adding
a 16-year-old driver to your auto insurance policy
can increase your annual premium by as much as 50 to
100 percent.
Helping
your teens hit the road safely
Helping
your teen grow into a safe and responsible driver takes
understanding, involvement and firm limits. Here are
some suggestions:
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Take
an active role in helping your teenager learn to
drive. Supplement driver education with
practice sessions in a wide variety of situations,
such as driving at night, in heavy traffic or on the
highway. Supervised practice should be spread over
at least six months and continue even after a teen
graduates from a learner's permit to a restricted or
full license. One family worried when their teen
received her learner permit in the dead of winter.
Eventually they came to believe that all the
supervised practice of driving on ice and parallel
parking next to snow banks put her in better stead
over the long run.
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Remember,
you are a role model. New drivers learn a
lot by example, so practice safe driving.
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Emphasize
the importance of safety belts. Though you
can't buckle your teenagers in or be sure they'll
keep them on once they leave the driveway, you can
require seat belt use when you are riding together
in the car. Make sure you wear yours, too. Hopefully
it will become a habit that sticks.
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Prohibit
driving and drinking. While alcohol isn't a
factor in most crashes of 16-year-old drivers, even
small amounts of alcohol can impair teens. Many
families adopt an "anytime, anyplace"
policy, which means that regardless of time or
distance, a teen who feels he or she shouldn't drive
can call home for a ride.
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Limit
night driving. The problem isn't just that
night driving requires more skill. Outings at night
tend to be recreational. In these circumstances,
even teens who usually follow the rules can be
easily distracted or encouraged to take risks.
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Restrict
passengers. Teen passengers in a vehicle can
distract a beginning driver and may lead to greater
risk-taking. Almost two of every three teen
passenger deaths occur in crashes when another teen
is driving. The best policy is to restrict teen
passengers to no more than one.
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Help
your teen choose and maintain a safe vehicle.
Small cars do not offer the best crash protection,
sporty cars may encourage speeding, and trucks and
small SUVs are more prone to roll over. When it
comes to cars, teens often focus on appearance --the
kickin' sound system, chrome hubs and tinted windows
-- but neglect to make sure their windshield
wipers work or their brakes are safe.
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Start
'em out young. Even before your child is
eligible for a learner's permit, you can teach about
safe driving every time you ride together. Talk
about what traffic signs mean, describe why you are
slowing down for a bridge (i.e. bridge surfaces
freeze before road surfaces), or explain why you are
stopping for a school bus or emergency vehicle.
They're a captive audience when you're the
driver-take the opportunity to teach.
Web
links:
Reading:
Sixteen
is Too Young To Drive: Taking Control When Your Teen's
Behind-the-Wheel by Donna R. and Richard M. Crossman
Driver
education:
Mohonasen
High School offers a driver education course as part of
its annual summer programming. The course is open to
students who will be 16-years or older as of July 1 of
each year. No school credit is given and advance
registration is required -- generally in mid-May.
Students must have either their driver's permit or
license to participate. Classes run Monday through
Friday for five weeks beginning right after the July 4th
holiday. Three days a week there are small group driving
sessions with the instructor. Schedules for the driving
lessons are not finalized until the class begins.
Students who miss any scheduled classes or
driving lessons will not be eligible to receive the
Department of Motor Vehicle certificate, so work and
vacation schedules need to be planned accordingly.
>
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For
permission to reprint this article, please contact the
Capital Region BOCES Communications Service at (518)
464-3960.
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