Teen Driving

This has been edited and published on www.rmtracking.com/blog/


Help! My Teen’s 16! And They Want My Car Keys!


You just turned 16. It’s the best day of your life: you get your license! Your parents paid for it. Maybe you paid for it. It’s your birthday present. It’s the only birthday present you’ve ever wanted, because it’s all so spectacular. You LOVED having your permit, and you can’t wait to drive. Welcome to teen driving, an awesome, exiting thing! Your parents hand you the car keys; your eyes dance in excitement. “Thanks, Mom, Dad! I love you!” you shout as you swirl around the room.

Your child just turned 16. It’s the absolute worst day of your life. You hand them the car keys, your hands shaking. You’re doing a Hail Mary and hoping the car will still be okay, or at least not shattered into too many pieces. “Just don’t wreck it, please,” are the words that come from your lips. Your teen smiles, looks at you, and replies, even swaying with confidence a bit, “Don’t worry, Mom, Dad, I’m experienced. It’ll be okay. After all, you drove with me for six months. You know how great I am! I won’t wreck it. Don’t worry about a thing!” Suddenly, the tension overrides your control, and you pass out.

Teen driving is a scary and exiting thing, for both sides. For the parents, it’s more scary than exiting; for the teens, it’s more exiting than scary.

For teens, freedom on the road is the most exiting thing. And why shouldn’t it be? A car, when used responsibly, is the best present ever for a teenager. It’s a ticket that you’ve gained your parent’s trust, and that you’re ready to drive.

For adults, teen driving is a scary world. It doesn’t matter how much you trust your teen, when you get on the road with them, it’s a whole ‘
‘nother world. It involves many hours (in Ohio, close to 60), of you sitting, yelling, “There’s a car right there! Look out! There’s a car right there! Swerve, swerve! Look out! There’s another car! Don’t turn now!”

Although many teens love driving and take to it naturally, it’s still a paranoid time for all parents, as it should be. Teen driving is the leading cause of death among teens.1 Drivers in the age 15-20 range count for 12.9% of all drivers in fatal accidents. Just knowing those statistics alone is enough to make every parent quiver in fear when they hand over the keys.


Your teen will not always “drive safely.” There will be times when your teenager will pull a 0-60 when going directly from a red light. Sometimes your teen could even accidentally run a red light. Accidents happen, especially with younger drivers. After all, as stated earlier, drivers in the 15-20 age range count for 12.9% of all fatal crashes.1

There are many ways you can help your teen drive safely. First, set a good example by driving safely yourself; although teens will not acknowledge that, many teenagers look to their parents for wisdom, and guidance. There are also many websites which offer helpful advice to both teens and parents.

http://www.teendriving.com/index.html has many helpful tips on how teens can be safer when they drive, such as getting to school early to avoid the “mad dash” that comes in and out, and going slowly (mostly so you don’t run into anyone.)2

http://life.familyeducation.com/teen-driving/teen/32797.html is another webpage. This one is directed for parents helping the teens drive, as apposed to teens helping themselves drive. It states that clear, concise limits are good, and needed.3

http://www.statefarm.com/learning/be_safe/road/teen_tips.asp has some rules that all parents of new drivers should read, such as limiting a teen’s nighttime driving, sticking to the speed limit, and NEVER driving under the influence of alcohol. It also says it’s best to avoid bad weather (as most teen drivers are inexperienced).4

http://parentingteens.about.com/cs/teendriving/a/drivingteach.htm has many different tips for parents who are panicked about their teen getting their permit and getting on the road. 6

There are also various websites that help you decide if your teen is ready to drive a car, like http://www.lhj.com/relationships/family/raising-kids/is-my-teen-ready-for-a-car/... It says that when your teen proves themselves to be a responsible driver, they’re ready. (Note that this article is for parents whose teens have already had a permit.)


Teen driving is scary, exhilarating, and mind-boggling. It’s one of the things a parent fears the most. It’s what every teen wants to do, and if they haven’t mentioned it, they’ve thought about it. Most will post a calendar, counting down the days until the magic 16, when they will say, “Can we buy a car now?”

If your teen is soon to be a driver, it’s your job to carefully go through different information and decide if you want driving. When you make a decision, stick to it. If your choice is that your teen can’t get a permit until they obtain a 3.0, then so be it.

No matter what the choice, it will be trying, so be informed. Although teen driving is dangerous, driving when you’re an adult can be dangerous, too. Most states require that you take a permit test before you get your permit, and a license test before you get your license.

It’s a good idea to have all your information before you make a decision. If you say yes, great. Your teen will benefit from having experience before they go out and get a license when they’re 18. Not only that, but a driving class is required, which is great for your teen in helping them to gain learning skills.

If you say no, that is your choice, and that is also fine. It is a case-by-case situation, depending entirely on the teen and the parent. If you do not feel as though you trust you teenager driving, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Whatever choice you make, stick to your guns and be proud of yourself for being an informed parent on the issues of teen driving.

1: http://www.rmiia.org/Auto/Teens/Teen_Driving_Statistics.htm
2: http://www.teendriving.com/school.htm
3: http://life.familyeducation.com/teen-driving/teen/32797.html
4: http://www.statefarm.com/learning/be_safe/road/teen_tips.asp
5: http://www.lhj.com/relationships/family/raising-kids/is-my-teen-ready-for-a-car/...
6: http://parentingteens.about.com/cs/teendriving/a/drivingteach.htm