Video: Teen Driving

With the start of school just a few weeks away, many teens will be driving to class, some for the first time.  And while most of us drive somewhere everyday, for teens, getting behind the wheel is the most deadly thing they can do. 

Research has identified motor vehicles crashes as the leading cause of death in the United States for teens 16 to 21-year-olds. And statistics show more passengers in a car with a teen driver means more accidents. 

Plant City Representative Rich Glorioso has been a long time proponent of teen driving safety and talked with me recently about the critical role of communication from parents.  He believes parents need to actively talk with, coach, monitor and set boundaries for their teen drivers.  And while new technology such as DriveCams can record risky driving behavior, Representative Glorioso believes that these measures are merely a band-aid for a lack of proper training and information.  He supports teen driving contracts instead. 

Parentingteendrivers.com is a free public service website where you can download a sample Teen Driving Agreement.  If you have other suggestions or resources for parents and teen drivers, please feel free to post your comments and suggestions below.

Safe Travels.
Alicia