Ways to help with teen driving safety

Here are tips to help your teen avoid crashes and stay safe on the road.

According to a report from the Governors Highway Safety Administration (GHSA) and Ford Motor Company Fund, speeding and lack of experience are often to blame for risky teen driving behavior. This may explain why motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of teen fatalities in the U.S.

Safe driving tips for teens

  • Ensure compliance with graduated driver licensing (GDL) laws. Many states have rules that prevent teens from driving at night or with other teens. Know the laws in your state and possibly set stricter standards.
  • Restrict night driving. Close to two-thirds of fatal crashes that happen at night are speed related and involve 16-year-old drivers.
  • Keep a safe following distance. In normal driving conditions, the general rule is "three seconds plus."When the vehicle in front of you passes a stationary object, begin counting. You should reach that same object no sooner than three seconds, four seconds ideally. Increase following distance when visibility is poor or you're in traffic.
  • Limit teen passengers. Research has shown significant reductions in deaths were associated with graduated driving laws, including a restriction on carrying passengers or the number and age of passengers carried. Make sure your teen knows how to keep passengers safe.
  • Share the car to prevent speeding. Parents can also set a good example by practicing safe driving themselves.
  • Discuss consequences. Teenage speeding puts lives and licenses on the line. It can also be expensive, and pricey tickets can increase insurance premiums.
  • Be involved. Frequently ride with your teens to be sure they're being safe. And when you're driving, be a good role model. Always travel at a speed appropriate for the road conditions and brush up on what may have changed since you started driving.

03-04-2019

Video Transcript

For more pointers on safe driving check out our Top Tips For New Drivers video.

Some insurers offer educational tools (courses and telematics devices) to help monitor teen driving. Upon completion or use, a discount is given. State Farm® offers the Steer Clear® program, learn more about it today.

The information in this article was obtained from various sources not associated with State Farm® (including State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates). While we believe it to be reliable and accurate, we do not warrant the accuracy or reliability of the information. State Farm is not responsible for, and does not endorse or approve, either implicitly or explicitly, the content of any third party sites that might be hyperlinked from this page. The information is not intended to replace manuals, instructions or information provided by a manufacturer or the advice of a qualified professional, or to affect coverage under any applicable insurance policy. These suggestions are not a complete list of every loss control measure. State Farm makes no guarantees of results from use of this information.

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