| It has been widely documented that the number | | | | by modeling good behavior and treating driving as |
| one killer of teens in today's world is traffic | | | | a privilege. Practicing what we preach, discussing |
| accidents. Even though this fact is known to most | | | | the issue regularly with our teens and talking with |
| parents, they are still not aware of the causes of | | | | our peers are simple actions parents can take |
| such tragic accidents and that they are | | | | that will go a long way in keeping teens safer on |
| contributors to the driving attitude of their teens. | | | | the road." |
| In a recent survey done by The Allstate | | | | Steinberg is a parenting expert and he also is a |
| Foundation, it was revealed that parents of | | | | professor of Psychology at Temple University. He |
| teenagers are unknowingly pushing their teens to | | | | is an author as well and two of his recent works |
| have negative driving attitudes. The survey polled | | | | is "The 10 Basic Principles of Good Parenting" and |
| over a thousand parents of teenagers who are | | | | "Your Adolescent: A Parent's Guide for Ages 10 |
| aged 15 to 17. The study shows the involvement | | | | to 20." |
| of parents on teens plays a key role on how safe | | | | One simple tip from the organization is for |
| their teenagers drive. | | | | parents to talk to their children at an early age |
| Of the more than 1,000 parents polled, nearly half | | | | about safe driving. This is in response to the result |
| of them think that traffic accidents involving | | | | of the survey that shows parents do not talk to |
| teenagers is caused by drunk driving. This shows | | | | their children about road safety until their children |
| that a significant number of parents do not know | | | | are ready to get a license. The study revealed |
| that the foremost cause of traffic accidents | | | | that only 27 percent of the respondents discuss |
| involving teen is driver error, speeding, and | | | | safe driving when their children are 12 years old |
| distracted driving. | | | | or younger. This pales in contrast to other issues |
| The study also shows that a majority of | | | | parents talk to their children about. |
| respondents are willing to teach their teenage | | | | Of all the respondents polled for the survey, 77 |
| children how to drive safely and some 60 percent | | | | percent said that they discuss the dangers of |
| of them are not aware of the Graduated Driver | | | | smoking while their children are 12 years old or |
| Licensing law. The law provides that parents are | | | | younger, 72 percent talk to their young children |
| required to supervise their children while driving. | | | | about the dangers of taking drugs, and 70 |
| The law also states that parents are responsible | | | | percent of the respondents said that they also |
| to restrict their teenagers from driving at night. | | | | discuss peer pressure with their teens. |
| As a result of the wide misinformation of | | | | The result of the study shows that even |
| majority of parents, an Allstate Foundation Teen | | | | effective brake parts like those found in Active |
| Driving Program Advisory Board member offered | | | | Brakes Direct are not enough to keep teenage |
| tips for parents. Laurence Steinberg Ph.D. has | | | | drivers away from traffic accidents. Involvement |
| these simple strategies he wants to share with | | | | of parents on their teen's driving attitude is equally |
| parents: "As parents, we need to show our teens | | | | if not more important. |
| from an early age the importance of safe driving | | | | |