Steer Teens to Safe Driving

Is your child getting a driver's license? You may dread that first request for the car keys. In fact, you may be wondering whether to buy a clunker to absorb some dents.

But for safety's sake, it's best to put your novice driver in the newest, best-equipped vehicle you can afford, advises the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Teens might drive cautiously when a parent is in the car, but when they are on their own or with other teens, bad driving is often the norm.

The IIHS suggests a midsized or larger vehicle with seat belts, airbags and good safety ratings. Avoid high-performance cars that encourage speeding and trucks or small sport utility vehicles that may roll over.

Death and injury rates for 16-year-old drivers are "pretty frightening," says David Kaplan, M.D., a professor of pediatrics at the University of Colorado and a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Nearly half of all first-year drivers have some kind of accident, and motor vehicle crashes are teens' top cause of death.

Most teens, Dr. Kaplan says, don't understand that there are many situations in which they need to drive defensively.

Avoid the wheel of misfortune

• Monitor your child's driving whenever possible. Set ground rules for unsupervised driving.

• Restrict night driving by 16-year-olds. The IIHS says this age group has the highest accident rate per mile traveled.  

• Don't rely solely on high school driving classes. Dr. Kaplan says there's no proof they produce safer drivers or prevent accidents.

• Limit the number of teen passengers. They distract new drivers and may encourage risks, such as swerving or running a light.

• Pull teens' licenses if they drink and drive or speed.