Use of a Parent-Teen Driving Agreement is a great way to determine appropriate rules and guidelines for your teen driver! You can find sample agreements on the internet.
No Impaired Driving. All teens are too young to legally buy or possess alcohol, but they are still at risk. Nationally in 2022, 3,615 young drivers (15 to 20 years old) were involved in fatal collisions and of those, 1815 (34%) had been drinking. Remind your teen that driving under the influence of any impairing substance, including illicit, prescription or over-the-counter drugs, could have deadly consequences.
Buckle Up. Every Trip, Every Time, Everyone—Front Seat and Back. Wearing a safety belt is one of the simplest ways for teens to stay safe in a vehicle. Yet, too many teens are not buckling up and neither are their passengers. In 2022, there were 4,341 young drivers (15-20 years old) of passenger vehicles involved in fatal collisions, and 53% of those who died were NOT buckled up at the time of the fatal collision. Remind your teen that it’s important for everyone to buckle up on every trip, every time, no matter what. Safety belts save lives.
Eyes on the Road, Hands on the Wheel. All the Time. Distractions while driving are more than just risky—they can be deadly. .In 2022, 193 teens (15-20 years) were killed in distraction-affected collisions. Remind your teen about the dangers of texting, dialing, or using mobile apps while driving. And here in Oregon, it is illegal for a teen to use a mobile device while operating a motor vehicle. But distracted driving isn’t limited to cell phone use. Other passengers, audio and climate controls in the vehicle, and eating or drinking while driving, are all examples of dangerous distractions for teen drivers. Whatever it is, it can wait.
Stop Speeding Before It Stops You. Speeding is a critical issue for all drivers, especially teens. In 2022, young drivers were speeding at the time of a fatal collision more than almost every other age group. Remind your teen to drive within the speed limit.
No More Than One Passenger at a Time. Extra passengers in a teen’s car can lead to disastrous results. According to data analyzed by NHTSA, teen drivers were two-and-a-half times more likely to engage in one or more potentially risky behaviors when driving with one teenage peer compared to when driving alone. And the likelihood of teen drivers engaging in risky behaviors triples when traveling with multiple passengers.
Limit Unsupervised Night Driving. According to Oregon’s GDL law, with a provisional license, a teen cannot drive between midnight and 5:00 a.m. for the first year unless they are accompanied by a licensed driver 25 or older or driving between home and work or school. Statistics show that teens have a higher collision rate during these hours. Consider setting an additional (earlier) driving curfew — especially on the weekends for the first 6 months your teen drives unsupervised.
Require a Full Report. Require information about each trip before leaving, including where your teen is going, with whom, and when they will return so that you know where they are.
