Is Your Teen Driving?

Safety Tips and Auto Coverage For Your Teenage Driver

Car crashes remain the leading cause of teen deaths (16 to 20 year-olds) in the United States.

Of all age groups, teenagers are most likely to be involved in a fatal car accident. Statistically, drivers aged 16 to 19-years-old are about four times more likely to be involved in an auto accident than any other age group. The risk of a Crash is much higher during the first year your teenager is able to drive.

Of all cities in the United States, Atlanta is consistently rated as one of the worst U.S. cities for traffic and auto accidents.

Duluth, Lawrenceville, Norcross and other surrounding areas in the Atlanta area are the most dangerous places to drive. The “Traffic Crash Profiles for the Atlanta Region” report  estimates that a traffic accident takes place every 2.8 minutes.

Protect your teenager and help make the streets safer for everyone!

•    Sign your teen up for Driver’s Ed
If your teen is 16 a state approved driver education course is required to obtain a Class D license. As part of their course they must complete a total of 40 hours of supervised driving, 6 hours of which must be at night. 16 year-olds need a certificate of completion from the driver education school in order to apply for a Class D Driver’s License. For some reason, 17 year olds are exempt from completing a driver education course. But it’s a good idea to sign them up anyway if they are first-time drivers. Not only do most Drivers Ed classes to a good of scaring the wits out of eager new drivers, but they can also qualify you for a discount on your Georgia auto insurance.

•    Spend time driving with your teenager
The more practice your teen has behind the wheel under your supervision, the better. (This is of course, assuming that you are a safe driver.) It can be hard to give your kid the keys, but get into the habit of letting your teen drive you around. Start with small, local trips to the grocery store around Duluth or Lawrenceville, then work your way to the bigger highways. It’s not a bad idea to conquer I-85 at an “off-time” like in the middle of the night on a weekday. That way, they get experience driving in the dark as well as on a big expressway.

•    Establish trust and make an agreement with your teenager
On any given weekend evening, one in 10 drivers on America’s roads has been drinking. According to the Georgia State Highway Patrol, Over half of high school seniors (58%) admit to being drunk at least once. No matter how responsible or educated your teenager is, there is a very high chance that they will ride in a car with another teen who is involved with alcohol.  Establish a  “contract” in which your teen agrees to call you before getting into someone else’s’ car who has been drinking. Wouldn’t you prefer to pick up your teenager from a party than from the hospital?

•    Get the right auto insurance coverage for your teenager
The average auto insurance rate for teenage drivers will increase your total premium. Be sure to speak with your insurance agent about the kind of coverage and deductibles you may want to add with your teen driver. Don’t forget about discounts offered by many carriers for teens with driver’s education certificates and good grades. Also, consider the type of vehicle your teen will be driving. While your 16-year old may have a convertible Mini Cooper in mind for his birthday, it is not the safest car or the most economical to insure.