’Tis the season for safe teen driving

Editor’s note: Tepfer is executive director of the Bellmore-Merrick Community Parent Center.

With the holiday season upon us, we at the Community Parent Center believe it is important for parents to be extra careful when handing over the car keys to their teen drivers. The time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is one of the busiest for travel, and newly licensed teens do not have enough experience to navigate through heavy traffic and winter weather conditions.

Over the last eight holiday seasons, teen drivers across America were involved in more than 5,000 fatal crashes between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of injury and death among teenagers annually, and the crash fatalities are even higher during the Christmas and New Year holidays. Drivers ages 16 to 20 are especially vulnerable owing to their inexperience and higher likelihood for taking risks. Driver error, speeding, passengers and distractions are the main causes of teen crashes, significantly impairing a teen’s ability to react quickly to changing traffic conditions. Driving under the influence of alcohol and other drugs drastically increases teens’ crash risks.

Parents should not take anything for granted, make no assumptions and expect the unexpected when it comes to their teens’ driving behaviors. Parents are the most important influence on their teens when it comes to risky behaviors, including substance abuse and driving. Parents must have a conversation with their teen drivers about safe and distraction-free driving. If they have already had this conversation with their teens, then now is a good time to reinforce the concerns and expectations. Parents should always be good role models. Remember that your actions are just as important as your words.