TEEN
DRIVERS SAFETY
(First Time Drivers...click
here!)
Teen Drivers
For teenagers, getting a driver's license is an important
milestone. It's a step toward independence, and for some
it's their first taste of adult responsibility. For the
most part, teens are so eager and excited to get behind
the wheel that they might not be very focused on the important
issue of safety.
Operating a motor vehicle requires the coordination of several
complex tasks simultaneously. When you factor in all of
the other elements, including road conditions, weather,
other drivers on the road, and distractions within the car,
driving can be one of the most dangerous activities that
we undertake each day. For teens, who are just learning
to do all these things at once, safety becomes an even more
important issue.
Youth-involved automobile crashes are a huge problem in
the United States. According to the National Safety Council,
traffic crashes are the leading cause of teen fatalities,
accounting for 44% of teen deaths in this country. The District
of Columbia has the dubious distinction of having the highest
teen driver death rate in the nation, according to a study
compiled by the National Safety Council and the Coalation
to End Needless Death on Our Roadways.
While it's true that driving carries with it countless inherent
risks, it is still incredibly fun to get behind the wheel
and go wherever you want to go. These depressing statistics
are shared not to frighten you, but to make sure that you
understand how important it is to drive responsibly, take
the time necessary to get adequate training, and always
obey the rules of the road.
Graduated
Driver Licensing
Given the fact that lack of experience behind the wheel
can be a large contributor to the cause of many traffic
accidents, graduated licensing programs have been established
in many states and in the District of Columbia. The purpose
of the graduated licensing program, or GRAD (Gradual Rearing
of Adult Drivers), is to make sure drivers under 21 are
properly educated and trained, and that they take on additional
responsibilities only as they become able to handle them.
The graduated licensing program gives teens plenty of supervised
time behind the wheel to allow them the opportunity to learn
from the experience of the adult driver. This allows time
for knowledge to be translated into experience, and for
the novice driver to gain skills and confidence behind the
wheel before encountering more dangerous situations such
as driving late at night or while other distracting teens
are in the car.
Basic Tips for Safe Driving
When you are getting ready to practice driving, it's a good
idea to make sure that the car you will be driving is in
good working order. Have the adult who will be supervising
you show you how to check the car's fluid levels, as well
as the tire pressure and tread depth. These are things that
you will need to know how to do regularly once you become
a motorist.
It's also smart to make sure that you have plenty of gas
to get where you're going. Getting stranded is never fun.
Here are more things to remember every time
you drive:
