As part of National Teen Driver Safety Week Oct. 17-23, the Manhattan Beach Police Department is urging parents and guardians to talk to their teen(s) about driving responsibly and safely.
Driving remains the most dangerous activity for teens. Per mile driven, teen drivers are nearly
four
times as likely to
be involved in a crash as drivers in all other age groups.
According to
the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), speeding was a
factor in 43% of all teen driver and passenger
fatalities from 2015 to 2019, compared to approximately 30% of all
traffic deaths among adults 20 and older.
Like
most skills, experience and training make for better drivers. Teen drivers are naturally inexperienced and more likely to
take risks and
pick up bad habits, which is why it is important for parents and
caregivers to play an active role in instilling safe driving habits in
their teen.
The Manhattan Beach Police Department
offers the following tips to parents and guardians for starting conversations about safe driving with teens:
Learn about the Provisional Driver’s License: Learn about California’s
provisional licensing law,
which places restrictions on passengers and driving at night during the first year they have a license.
Lead by example:
Have driving sessions with your teen. Tell, but also show your teen how to drive safely.
Set ground rules:
Be firm on rules such as no phone use, being distracted by friends, always following the speed limit, and always buckling up.
Emphasize the importance of sober driving: Emphasize the importance of never driving under the influence or riding with someone who has been drinking.
Funding
for the MBPD's awareness program was provided by a grant from the California Office of
Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration.
