Email a Friend
Print Article
Teenage Drivers
When I was a teenager, I couldn't wait to drive. Perhaps this was my internal wish to get out of Appalachia, but driving meant freedom.
I started to drive long before doing it legally. We drove on the farm and on the back roads; often with passengers and never with seatbelts. Why? In the 1960s, there were no seatbelt laws and cars were not equipped with them. I shudder at the amount of danger that I experienced as a driver and passenger.
Children stood, unrestrained, on the front seat of moving cars. As a ten-year-old, I stood proudly, like some sort of Presidential candidate, on the back seat of a convertible flying down the highway, with wind blowing through my hair and bugs in my teeth. We drove in mud and drove in snow. As teenagers, we had fender-benders and our only punishment was to go get another fender at the junk yard and fix it. We drove cars of any colors and mismatched parts.
And, yes, there were serious and fatal accidents, too.
Two of my best friends from high school were killed. One drove off the road and hit a tree (he was drunk); and another was a passenger in a Corvette going over 100 MPH when the driver lost control and slammed into a bridge abutment.
When it came time for my own teenagers to drive, I was terrified. Our blended family blessed us with five teenagers at the same time. The oldest one was arrested for driving while intoxicated (we do not drink in our home, but alcohol is commonplace at teen parties). He was traveling home at 2 a.m., going about 10 MPH down the road, trying not to draw attention from the policeman following him. Needless to say, this unusual behavior resulted in his arrest and conviction. A year of license suspension, drunk driver classes, a $1,500 fine, and five years of insurance probation (high premiums) taught him an expensive lesson that was never repeated.
My youngest son, the last of the family to drive, proudly passed his driver's test on a Friday. After relentless begging over the weekend, I allowed him to drive the family car to school on Monday...a four-mile trip. On the way to school, he rear-ended a State Farm Insurance agent whose boyfriend was an attorney. He has never been in an accident since that time, twelve years ago.
Fortunately, none of our children have been injured in car accidents. I can't say that for patients in my medical practice. Every year, we lose patients in our pediatric practice as a result of car accidents. A few years ago, one of our young patients, a popular senior in high school, was killed in front of our office. He lost control of his car, perhaps going too fast on a wet road through a busy intersection, and hit a telephone pole. Flowers, notes, and sidewalk graffiti marked a make-shift memorial for a month.
Earlier this week, I examined a little three-year-old girl for an ear infection. She was accompanied by her father and grandfather. I was told that the family was under some stress. A few days prior, this little girl's mother, Dad's wife, and Grandpa's daughter was killed while taking a walk after dinner. The young driver, distracted while talking on his cell phone, jumped the curb and struck this innocent woman and killed her instantly. I cried.
Teenagers are among the healthiest people on this planet. Watch them play video games or sports, and you will see that their reflexes are sharp and quick. But, when you put highly-distractible, inexperienced drivers behind the wheel of an automobile, judgment often goes out the window.
Stereos are blaring music, girls are putting on lipstick in the rear-view mirror, and boys are looking everywhere but in front of them. Cell phones are being used. Some are even text-messaging. Cigarettes are lit, burritos are eaten, and even books are being read. For teens who can legally carry passengers, you may find their friends unrestrained in seat belts and practicing other terribly disruptive behaviors.
Three Ukrainian teenagers were killed in a car accident a few days ago, coming back from a funeral of another teenager. While passing each other at high speed, one driver lost control and hit an ongoing care head-on. Now, there will be three MORE funerals for families and friends to attend in this close-knit ethnic community. When will it stop?
Laws have been passed to help. In California, like most states, teenagers must have driver's education with road time and pass a written and road test. They are not permitted to carry passengers for one year, unless accompanied by an adult. Teen drivers are subject to the "Cinderella" law, requiring them to be off the road by 11 p.m. Any detectable amount of alcohol or drugs in the system results in an automatic license suspension.
Insurance premiums for teen drivers are astronomical. Does it work? Perhaps some, but not enough. There is even serious talk about raising the minimum age for driving to 18, although studies have shown that drivers 18-20 are still FOUR TIMES as likely to be distracted.
When I discuss the high-risk behaviors of drugs, smoking, and unprotected sex during adolescent physicals, I always mention driving. Why? Driving is the leading cause of accidental death in adolescents. When you hand over your car keys to your teenager on the weekend, know that 53% of teenage driving deaths occur during this time. Although teenagers only represent 7% of the licensed drivers, they account for 14% of the fatalities and 20% of all of the reported accidents. It is not just chronological age, but immaturity.
Accidents happen -- to teenagers and adults. You can't control the weather and hazardous driving conditions can suddenly happen. We know that. It used to be that only screaming and fighting back seat kids caused adults to be distracted. Now, adults are also being distracted by our own mobile toys, like GPS screens, cell phones, wireless Internet palm pilots, CD/DVD players, televisions, and iPods, just like our teenagers.
I even saw an ad the other day for an ice maker for the car. What next? A blender for mixed drinks? A beer tap? A microwave oven?
Parents, it is time to take back some control.
Finally, some words to our driving kids: Like all behaviors, you are in charge of your own.
Control your behavior when you are behind the wheel.
Related Topics: Teenagers Drive Worse With Male Passengers, Hands-Free Cell Phones Reduce Driving Ability
Technorati Tags: Teen driving, drunk driving, car accidents
I started to drive long before doing it legally. We drove on the farm and on the back roads; often with passengers and never with seatbelts. Why? In the 1960s, there were no seatbelt laws and cars were not equipped with them. I shudder at the amount of danger that I experienced as a driver and passenger.
Children stood, unrestrained, on the front seat of moving cars. As a ten-year-old, I stood proudly, like some sort of Presidential candidate, on the back seat of a convertible flying down the highway, with wind blowing through my hair and bugs in my teeth. We drove in mud and drove in snow. As teenagers, we had fender-benders and our only punishment was to go get another fender at the junk yard and fix it. We drove cars of any colors and mismatched parts.
And, yes, there were serious and fatal accidents, too.
Two of my best friends from high school were killed. One drove off the road and hit a tree (he was drunk); and another was a passenger in a Corvette going over 100 MPH when the driver lost control and slammed into a bridge abutment.
When it came time for my own teenagers to drive, I was terrified. Our blended family blessed us with five teenagers at the same time. The oldest one was arrested for driving while intoxicated (we do not drink in our home, but alcohol is commonplace at teen parties). He was traveling home at 2 a.m., going about 10 MPH down the road, trying not to draw attention from the policeman following him. Needless to say, this unusual behavior resulted in his arrest and conviction. A year of license suspension, drunk driver classes, a $1,500 fine, and five years of insurance probation (high premiums) taught him an expensive lesson that was never repeated.
My youngest son, the last of the family to drive, proudly passed his driver's test on a Friday. After relentless begging over the weekend, I allowed him to drive the family car to school on Monday...a four-mile trip. On the way to school, he rear-ended a State Farm Insurance agent whose boyfriend was an attorney. He has never been in an accident since that time, twelve years ago.
Fortunately, none of our children have been injured in car accidents. I can't say that for patients in my medical practice. Every year, we lose patients in our pediatric practice as a result of car accidents. A few years ago, one of our young patients, a popular senior in high school, was killed in front of our office. He lost control of his car, perhaps going too fast on a wet road through a busy intersection, and hit a telephone pole. Flowers, notes, and sidewalk graffiti marked a make-shift memorial for a month.
Earlier this week, I examined a little three-year-old girl for an ear infection. She was accompanied by her father and grandfather. I was told that the family was under some stress. A few days prior, this little girl's mother, Dad's wife, and Grandpa's daughter was killed while taking a walk after dinner. The young driver, distracted while talking on his cell phone, jumped the curb and struck this innocent woman and killed her instantly. I cried.
Teenagers are among the healthiest people on this planet. Watch them play video games or sports, and you will see that their reflexes are sharp and quick. But, when you put highly-distractible, inexperienced drivers behind the wheel of an automobile, judgment often goes out the window.
Stereos are blaring music, girls are putting on lipstick in the rear-view mirror, and boys are looking everywhere but in front of them. Cell phones are being used. Some are even text-messaging. Cigarettes are lit, burritos are eaten, and even books are being read. For teens who can legally carry passengers, you may find their friends unrestrained in seat belts and practicing other terribly disruptive behaviors.
Three Ukrainian teenagers were killed in a car accident a few days ago, coming back from a funeral of another teenager. While passing each other at high speed, one driver lost control and hit an ongoing care head-on. Now, there will be three MORE funerals for families and friends to attend in this close-knit ethnic community. When will it stop?
Laws have been passed to help. In California, like most states, teenagers must have driver's education with road time and pass a written and road test. They are not permitted to carry passengers for one year, unless accompanied by an adult. Teen drivers are subject to the "Cinderella" law, requiring them to be off the road by 11 p.m. Any detectable amount of alcohol or drugs in the system results in an automatic license suspension.
Insurance premiums for teen drivers are astronomical. Does it work? Perhaps some, but not enough. There is even serious talk about raising the minimum age for driving to 18, although studies have shown that drivers 18-20 are still FOUR TIMES as likely to be distracted.
When I discuss the high-risk behaviors of drugs, smoking, and unprotected sex during adolescent physicals, I always mention driving. Why? Driving is the leading cause of accidental death in adolescents. When you hand over your car keys to your teenager on the weekend, know that 53% of teenage driving deaths occur during this time. Although teenagers only represent 7% of the licensed drivers, they account for 14% of the fatalities and 20% of all of the reported accidents. It is not just chronological age, but immaturity.
Accidents happen -- to teenagers and adults. You can't control the weather and hazardous driving conditions can suddenly happen. We know that. It used to be that only screaming and fighting back seat kids caused adults to be distracted. Now, adults are also being distracted by our own mobile toys, like GPS screens, cell phones, wireless Internet palm pilots, CD/DVD players, televisions, and iPods, just like our teenagers.
I even saw an ad the other day for an ice maker for the car. What next? A blender for mixed drinks? A beer tap? A microwave oven?
Parents, it is time to take back some control.
- Set good examples for your children and demonstrate responsible driving at all times.
- Monitor your teen's driving and other behaviors -- know where they are going and what they are doing.
- Let them drive with YOU in the car so you can see first-hand how well they are doing.
- Watch speeding and tail-gating.
- Have zero tolerance to alcohol and drugs.
- Remind them that driving is a privilege, not a right.
- Parents have a right and a responsibility to pull the licenses of their own children.
- Make the consequences known and have the parental guts to stick to them.
Finally, some words to our driving kids: Like all behaviors, you are in charge of your own.
Control your behavior when you are behind the wheel.
- Don't drive aggressively, fast, or inappropriately.
- Control the behaviors of any passengers. Not only do you have their lives in your hands; they may distract you into losing yours.
Related Topics: Teenagers Drive Worse With Male Passengers, Hands-Free Cell Phones Reduce Driving Ability
Technorati Tags: Teen driving, drunk driving, car accidents
3 Comments:
I had never commented on your blogs before and now I've commented on two in less than 24 hours. I just wanted to comment from experience. Wrecks change your life, completely and wholly. I was in an accident at 17, driver was a 16 year old friend and we were hit by another member of our class. Our car turned in front of the other one, which was going 65 in a 45mph zone. We were all at the location to take our ACT's and so our entire class (whole 21 people) was there to see it.
I was severely injured and was never the same and neither were any of the people that witnessed it.
Also, I didn't know you were from the appalachians....So am I! :) Mountains of Tennessee and I have the drawl to prove it!
wow!! isn't this planet a very small place.
i'm in boring old coventry(uk)
scubbadiving is something i have longed to try, but i have a massive fear of the sea. i don't know where that fear come's from as i,m a pretty strong swimmer.
i,m ok in a swimming pool, but something stops me in the sea. i don't know what or why i just have this fear in me.
I'm a 15 year old on permit who will be eligible for his license in May. Here in Nebraska where I live, they've enacted a law with teenage driving: more time on permit required, only one non-family passenger while on provisional license, and no cell phones or other devices while driving. I hate that they enact these laws for teenagers, but for no one else. Studies show that everyone is more prone to be in an accident when talking on a cell phone or with multiple passengers in a car. That isn't even getting into the dangers of the elderly getting behind the wheel, even if completely undistracted. It bothers me that the state legislature will target teenagers but no one else. Do only teenagers make for dangerous roads? No. The deal is that teenagers can't vote them out of office. While everyone is trying to figure out how to make the roads safer by limiting teenagers' rights, they're missing the part where people of all ages create dangerous situations while driving.
Post a Comment