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Tips for Staying Cool When Your Teen Starts Asking to Drive


teen drivers (select to view enlarged photo)

WARWICK, RI--November 1, 2011: "Can I have the keys to the car?" These may be the most frightening words ever heard, at least to a parent or guardian with a teenager in the household. This time of year, it's a question that's asked with increased frequency, with the new school year well underway and large numbers of teens taking drivers education courses. The good news is, this unsettling question is a necessary part of a student driver's passage into adulthood--and experienced drivers play a big role in establishing good driving habits that will last a lifetime.

“Teaching Your Teens to Drive (Without Driving Each Other Crazy!)”

While getting more experience behind the wheel with a licensed driver can only help improve a teen's driving skills, the responsibility of teaching a teen to drive can be quite daunting, especially during the fall and winter, where roads may be wet or icy from rain and snow. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for young people 15 to 20 years of age, causing roughly one-third of all fatalities in this age group.

"Fortunately, parents can make a big difference," said Bill Moore, president of MetLife Auto & Home. "Numerous studies show that learning good driving habits with a seasoned driver is a very effective way to decrease the likelihood of crashes and fatalities for teens. This is especially important during bad weather months, when good driving is of the utmost importance."

Moore continued, "Teaching teens to drive doesn't need to be stressful or overly scary. Simple things like being supportive, reinforcing the basics of good driving--especially obeying the speed limit, yielding the right of way, and turning properly--make a big difference since these are the biggest contributing factors to fatal car crashes for teens."

The key to ensuring a successful learning experience involves patience--and preparation. To help prepare for your new role as a driving instructor, Moore encourages parents and guardians to keep the following tips in mind:

  • Set an example, yourself. Even before your teen "pops the question," it helps to demonstrate good driving practices behind the wheel. Always remember that your teens, and even younger kids, are always watching and learning.
  • Get the passenger's view. Before riding with your teen, take a ride as a passenger with an experienced driver to adjust to the passenger view. You'll be reminded how roadside mailboxes, curbs, and signs seem to whiz by within inches.
  • Keep your lessons short. Be reasonable about what you can accomplish in one lesson. Experts say that the number of times your teen practices with you is more important than the minutes that you log during any one session. Start with 15 to 20 minutes, and take a break if either of you gets upset.
  • Keep a journal of your progress. In some states, graduated driver's licensing laws require a new driver to record and submit the time spent behind the wheel with an experienced driver. It can also help parents keep track of the lessons they've had with their children, as well as what the teen driver has learned and what additional skills need to be reviewed.
  • Stay alert and calm. Without warning, your new driver may need help. It pays to be aware of what's taking place on the road, and anticipate any hazards that your inexperienced driver may not be expecting.
  • Be the first one to promote sensible cell phone/texting habits. Talking on a cell phone or texting greatly increases the likelihood of a motor vehicle accident, and if parents are doing it, chances are, their kids will too.
  • Warn against "RST" violations. To remember the top three contributing factors of fatal crashes for teenager, think of these three letters: Right of way, Speeding, and Turning. Be sure to regularly and thoroughly address these potentially dangerous driving behaviors during lessons.

To help make the teen driving experience as painless as possible, MetLife Auto & Home offers free materials: a step-by-step guide called "Teaching Your Teens to Drive (Without Driving Each Other Crazy!)" and a brochure "Beginning Teenage Drivers," as well as a DVD entitled "Young Drivers: The High-Risk Years." These materials provide important guidelines to follow before teenagers get behind the wheel and emphasize the importance that preparation and planning can play in defusing potentially stressful situations.

As an additional bonus, in many states, MetLife Auto & Home offers a "Teens on the Road to Safety" program for its policyholders. To enroll, teens must complete 20 weekly driving trips with a parent or guardian and submit a written log to verify completion. Each teen who drives one year without accidents, claims or moving violations receives a $50 American Express® Reward Card. Teens can earn a second $50 card by maintaining a clean driving record for a second year. For an enrollment kit, copies of these educational materials, or more information about the Teen Driving Incentive Program, please call 1-800-608-0190.

MetLife Auto & Home, a brand of Metropolitan Property and Casualty Insurance Company and its affiliates, is one of the nation's leading personal lines property and casualty insurance providers, with more than 2.7 million policies in force. MetLife Auto & Home is a part of MetLife, Inc. , a leading global provider of insurance, annuities, and employee benefit programs, serving 90 million customers in over 50 countries. For more information, visit www.metlife.com.

MetLife Auto & Home is a brand of Metropolitan Property and Casualty Insurance Company and its Affiliates, Warwick, RI.