Teens & Driving

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Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for American teens, who are involved in three times as many fatal accidents as all other drivers. At a 2010 Brookline Wellness Summit, nearly 70 Brookline High School students, staff, parents and community members gathered for a special “Coffee and Conversation” power breakfast to examine and brainstorms strategies for  “Teen Safety Behind the Wheel.” 

Their key recommendations continue to be pertinent today: 

  • SEATBELTS – Make sure seatbelt use is ingrained from early childhood – at school and home – so its use is habitual. Don’t drive or get into overcrowded cars without enough seatbelts, which continues to be a big issue on some sports teams as student athletes have to find their own transportation from BHS to South Brookline for practices. Coaches need to help facilitate that better at the beginning of the season, parents need to step up to create networks for safe carpools, and police should enforce the law when they see too many kids loading into cars.
  • SPEED – More curfew flexibility so that kids don’t take risks to get home last minute. Allow extra time after a phone call check-in. Parents shouldn’t speed, either.  Teens should pay for their own tickets.
  • DISTRACTED DRIVING – Parents need to lead by example and express clear expectations regarding distractions such as cell phone use, eating, fiddling with iPod/radio, allowing too many passengers.
  • SAFE RIDES – Teens need a way to get home safely, such as Newton’s Safe Rides program sponsored by the Newton Partnership. Newton families can sign up for teens to take Veteran’s cabs free on weekends between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. to prevent drinking and driving situations.
  • NO SUBSTANCE USE – The message must be “Don’t drink and drive. And don’t get in the car with a driver who has been drinking. Period.” That message must also extend to marijuana and other drug use. The dangers of driving stoned need to be reinforced for teens who don’t think it’s a problem. Teens also calculate how much they can drink before getting drunk, rationalizing that if they drink a little, then wait awhile, they are fine to drive. Parents should consider a limited “no questions asked” policy if a teen needs a late night ride home to avoid driving impaired or riding with an impaired driver. Such a policy reflects trust and rewards good judgment in avoiding an unsafe situation.​
  • RULES AND CONSEQUENCES – Parents and teens need to be aware of current driving rules and regulations, and respect laws such as the junior operator license restrictions even when it’s inconvenient.
  • CRISIS CONTROL – Teens need to know what to do in case of an accident, whether a fender/bender or a more damaging collision. Parents need to instill kids with the trust and confidence to call if they are in trouble. And teens need to have the courage to speak up if their peers are engaging in risky driving behavior.
Texting and Driving
​A NY Times article claims parents undercut the "don't text and drive" message by failing their own dictum, and 59% of teens say they've seen their parents text and drive. The article also includes an interactive game that shows just how tricky (and potentially devastating) that form of multitasking can be.

What To Do In Case Of An Accident?
What if the worst happens, and your teen is involved in some kind of vehicle accident. Would he/she know what to do? Check out this one-page printable tip sheet to share with your teen and keep in your car's glove compartment.

Additional Reading & Resources

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