National Teen Driver Safety Week conversation starters for parents

During National Teen Driver Safety Week, we're asking for help from parents of teen drivers. We’re asking parents to remind their teens of the importance of safe driving as a driver or passenger.

Parents and other supportive adults play a key role in empowering teens to choose to stay safe. Teens who report regular, open communication with their parents about important issues are more likely to care about their personal safety and less likely to engage in risky behaviors like drinking or using drugs and driving.**

Talking to your teen may not be the easiest thing to do, but it is one of the most important. Here are some discussion ideas to help get the conversation started:

Be a leader: Teen drivers are more inclined to heed the warnings of other teens as opposed to those of adults. Encourage your teen to be a leader and get involved with the planning of safe driving initiatives in their school and communities.

Volunteer: High school students often need volunteer hours. Encourage your teen to volunteer with community police or fire departments to see firsthand what happens on the road.

Call me anytime: It’s illegal to drink under the age of 21 in the United States. It’s also illegal to drink or use drugs and drive. Explain to your teen that if their driver has become under the influence during the course of the night do not get in their vehicle, do not let them drive and they can call you Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere for help. No questions asked; you will be there.

We're setting boundaries: Discuss rules such as curfews and passenger limits. This allows the teen to feel they have freedom and it allows the parent to feel they have control. Also, teenagers need boundaries to feel safe. Setting rules helps them to know that there are boundaries to their freedom.

Do you know where you're going? Does your teen have a big night planned? Suggest that you drive the route together in advance to prevent distractions like looking for road signs. This will also give you both some time to talk in the car.

Slow down during night time driving: If your teen drives at night due to sports or work, make sure they are aware of the importance of slowing down at night so they have enough time to deal with an unexpected situation. You can't see as far down the road in the dark as you can in the light.

Avoid distractions: Start this conversation by asking your teen where they put their phone when they are driving. Make sure they turn their cell phone off and put it out of reach while driving. If they have to use their phone, tell them to pull safely off the road. Also, the number of passengers in a vehicle at one time should be limited. The more passengers that are in a vehicle, the greater the risk of a crash.

Wear your seat belt: Does your teen know that the number one lifesaving device in a vehicle is a seat belt? Remind them.

This is also not a one-time discussion. Continue to discuss these topics with your teen over and over again.