10 Tips for Parents of Teenage Drivers

How to keep them alive until they move out

Mac Demere / autoMedia.com

Every year, teenage drivers are involved in about 8,000 fatal vehicle crashes. Yearly, about 5,000 teens—drivers and passengers—die in car accidents. Another 400,000 or more are injured, with 30,000 of those requiring hospitalization. Keeping teen drivers and passengers safe is arguably the most challenging of parental tasks. It's one that I'm currently tackling.

Teach Your Children Well

As my children entered their teens, I was convinced my experience as a racecar driver, high-performance driving instructor, Class A Commercial Driver's License (a.k.a. 18-wheeler) holder and former reckless teenage driver (or so said the judge) would allow me to teach them how to drive safely and, at the least, not tear up my cars.

I was wrong.

I worked hard to download all my experience into their heads. They demonstrated ability maneuvering in tight situations: I made them show they could do with a car what I can do with a big rig, by negotiating the CDL skills-test course. They know how to anticipate—not just react to—challenging and dangerous situations. They understand the critical importance of wearing seatbelts. They learned how to properly employ anti-lock brakes. Each received plenty of driving experience while on learner's permits. Both earned top marks from their driving-school instructors. Neither got a license immediately upon turning 16: One was almost 18 before she drove independently.

When an adult is a passenger, my children's driving is almost flawless. The rest of the time, it's not so good.