Take the Wheel: On Teen Driving

Doesn't it seem like as soon as school lets out teens are suddenly everywhere-freed from their homework and extra-curricular activities? Well, not only are they at the local pools and malls, but they are also behind the wheel. Teen Driving is another one of the National Safety Council's (NSC's) core topics for National Safety Month. The organization cites that each day, there are more than 15 crashes involving drivers between the ages of 15 to 20, and adds that according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration two out of three people killed in crashes are people other than the teen driver, including their passengers, occupants of other vehicles, motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. The NSC offers the following suggestions to parents and guardians of teens to help reduce their accident risk:

1. Set a Nighttime Driving Restriction (e.g. no driving past 10 p.m.)
2. Set a Passenger Restriction (e.g. no more than one other teen passenger)
3. Ban Mobile Phone Usage while Driving
4. Forbid Alcohol Consumption
5. Insist on Seat Belts for all Passengers

These five tips when enforced should go a long way to ensure that our teens stay safe not only this summer, but throughout the rest of the year.