Should you track your teenage driver? As parents, we want to protect our teenage drivers. But unfortunately, in 2013, 2,614 (15-19-year-old) passenger vehicle drivers were involved in fatal crashes, and an estimated 130,000 were injured.
Car accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers. Teenage brains are still developing at 16-18 years old. A teen may have excellent driving skills but lack the maturity to show good judgment behind the wheel.
Until teens mature and get experience behind the wheel, monitoring technologies are available from insurance companies, cell phone providers, carmakers, and safety organizations.
A drive cam is a monitoring camera placed on the windshield behind the rearview mirror. It films the driver, recording potentially risky events and flashing lights that change color when dangerous maneuvers are undertaken. Parents can review the video with their teens and give feedback. Some insurance companies make this available at no charge.
Diagnostics by Delphi is offered through Verizon. Diagnostic services are offered through the cars’ onboard diagnostic port. “Geo-fences” can be applied to email an alert to the parent when the fence boundary has been breached. Additionally, speed alerts can tell you if your teen exceeds 75 MPH.
OnStar Family Link, available in GM cars, allows parents to see the vehicle’s location on an online map at any given time.
Perhaps the biggest threat to teenage driving is distracted driving. It can be a huge temptation to use it while driving. CellControl is a company that can disable the ability to text, email, or use Snapchat while driving. In addition, CellContol can deliver driving notifications to parents regarding teenage driving habits.
Some parents may not be comfortable “tracking” their teens while driving. Again, it’s an individual decision for each family.
Set a good driving example for your teenager. Put your phone down, don’t text while driving. Model good driving behavior at all times.
