Empower teens and parents to make our roads safer

All too often we hear about teenagers with promising futures who are killed in preventable car crashes. As parents and educators, it's our job to keep children safe from harm, yet one of the biggest threats to their safety comes when they get behind the wheel.First responders and healthcare providers across the country recognize National Teen Driver Safety Week during the third week of October to raise awareness about teen vehicle collisions -- the leading cause of death among teenagers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.It's not always easy for teen drivers to recognize the risk factors that compromise their safety. Understanding the risks, along with proper driver education and parental involvement to practice safe driving, can greatly reduce the risk of a teen driver crash.What are the risk factors for teenage drivers?Inexperience is a leading cause of crashes. New drivers simply don't have the experience behind the wheel to judge distances needed to stop or to gauge unsafe road conditions and potential hazards.• Distractions significantly increase the risk of a crash for any driver, especially young, inexperienced drivers. Texting or calling takes the driver's focus off the road for an average of five seconds -- the time it takes to drive the length of a football field at 55 miles per hour.• Teenage passengers increase the risk of a fatal car crash, as the likelihood of teen drivers engaging in risky behavior behind the wheel triples with multiple passengers.• Speed was a factor in approximately 27% of fatal car crashes in 2017, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. Even driving just slightly over the speed limit increases the collision risk.• Underage drinking contributes to approximately 20% of fatal car accidents, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How can we keep teens safer?The Texas Graduated Driver License program allows teens to improve their driving skills over time in lower-risk environments. Those younger than 18 must hold a valid learner license for six months or until they turn 18, whichever comes first. The learner license allows teens to practice driving with a licensed driver who is 21 or older.Teens who have held a learner license for six months, reached the age of 16 and completed driver education are eligible to test for a provisional license and "graduate" to the next phase of the program. A provisional license allows teens to drive on their own; however, it restricts the number of passengers younger than 21 and limits nighttime driving.Research shows that comprehensive GDL programs can reduce fatal crashes by more than 40% among 16-year-old drivers, especially when parents are involved and enforce the program requirements.Parental involvement has been shown to have a strong impact on teen driver safety. The Level II Trauma Center at St. David's Round Rock Medical Center encourages parents to take the following steps to keep their teenage drivers safe:• Drive with your teen frequently for at least the first year of their new temporary or permanent license. Offer suggestions on judging distances, speed, road conditions and how to drive defensively.• Talk to your teen about distracted driving and about being a safe passenger. Ask them to minimize conversation and music while driving or as a passenger in another teen's vehicle.• Instruct teen drivers to always wear a seatbelt and require their passengers to do the same. This crucial step can protect the life of the driver, as well as the lives of other passengers in the car. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the majority of teens involved in fatal car accidents weren't wearing their seatbelts.• Don't let your child ride with another teen who has less than one year of driving experience. Young drivers need time and adult guidance to increase their skills on the road. The majority of teen collisions occur within the first year of driving.•Stay involved in your child's activities. Know your teen's friends, as well as where they're going and what they're doing. Keep the lines of communication open and provide alternate transportation when there's potential for an unsafe driving situation. Minimize the amount of time your teen drives at night.• Becoming independent and transitioning into adulthood can be an exciting time, but the risks to teens' safety while driving are significant. For more guidance on teaching your child safe driving practices, visit the National Safety Council's website for parents of newly licensed teen drivers at driveitHOME.org.Kristen Hullum is the trauma injury prevention coordinator at St. David's Round Rock Medical Center.

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