Teen Driver's License & Reduced-Risk Driving

• This chapter provides an overview of earning a driver's license and presents the important facts about teen driving.
• Risk is discussed in terms of how to judge risk and identify its characteristics.
• The chapter includes a discussion about parent/guardian involvement in teen driving and guidance for driving coaches.
• The chapter gives information on how to assess and manage driving risk, but how you apply the information is up to you.

The Driver's License

• Earning a driver's license is a major goal for many teens.
• A license means having the freedom to come and go when and where drivers please.
• A license also brings great responsibility.

Reduced-Risk Driving

• Drive safely in ways that reduce risk of crashes.
• Driving is more than following rules; it's complex and often demanding, even for experienced drivers.
• To reduce driving risk, monitor other road users and traffic-control devices while observing and anticipating others' actions.
• Comply with traffic regulations and control your vehicle under all types of weather and road conditions.
• Search for and obtain information from frequently changing environments and decide how to effectively respond.
• Assess consequences of alternative responses and initiate action and adjustments as necessary, and constantly repeat the process.

Effective Habits

• You are responsible for developing and practicing safe driving habits.
• A skillful, experienced driver performs all steps as a matter of habit, minimizing the need for corrective action.
• Good habits serve you well whether driving in challenging or simple conditions.

Additional Demands

• Factors like highway speeds, dense traffic, inclement weather, distractions, stress, and fatigue can place additional demands on a driver.
• Mistakes and situations a driver is unprepared for increases risk of crashes, often with fatal consequences.
• Each year in the US, more than 30,000 people die in vehicle crashes
• More than 90% of crashes result from driver error and are preventable.
• Learning how to anticipate, prevent, and manage these additional demands is a must.

Driving Experience and Risk

• Completing a driver education program and earning a license does not mean a person will drive safely and responsibly.
• A license only means the person has demonstrated basic knowledge and ability to control a motor vehicle.
• New drivers require about 5 years to develop the ability of an average driver.
• Nearly one-half of all new drivers are either charged with a traffic offense or involved in a crash during their first 12 months of licensed driving.

The Facts About Teen Driving

• The overall crash rate of drivers ages 16 to 17 is nearly double that of drivers ages 18 to 19.
• The crash rate of 16-17 year olds is approximately 4.5 times that of drivers ages 30 to 59.
• Traffic crashes are the number one killer of young people ages 15 to 20.
• More than 2,500 teenagers die in crashes each year.

Primary Crash Factors

• Several consistently seen behaviors determined to be the fault of a teen driver include:
  • Speeding and driving too fast for road conditions
  • Failing to yield the right-of-way
  • Being distracted
  • Driving after consuming alcohol or drugs
  • Following other drivers too closely
• Additional factors researched to be involved in teen driver crashes:
  • Day of week: More than one-half of crashes involving teen drivers occur on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
  • Time of day: Teens are twice as likely to crash between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. as during daylight. One-third of teenage motor vehicle crash deaths occur between 6 p.m. and midnight.
  • Purpose and destination of trips: Risks are lower when a newly licensed young person drives purposefully. Driving around without a clear purpose is more hazardous.
  • Shared vs. primary vehicle: Risk is higher for teens who drive their own vehicle.

Severity of Crashes

• The severity of crashes involving teen drivers is greater than that of crashes involving older drivers.
• Factors increasing the likelihood of being killed should a crash occur is reflected in the difference between surviving and not surviving the crash:
  • Nighttime driving: Fatality rates of crashes involving teen drivers at night are more than 3 times the fatality rates of these crashes during the day.
  • Speeding: The fatality rate for crashes involving a speeding teen driver is about 4 times higher than for crashes in which the teen driver wasn't speeding.
  • Passengers: Fatality rates in crashes with a teen driver carrying only teen passengers are 50% higher than crashes when driving alone.

Understanding Risk

• One of the major differences between new and experienced drivers is the ability to accurately judge the level of risk associated with a driving situation.
• A lack of awareness or the inability to correctly assess traffic or roadway conditions often results in a late, an inappropriate, or the total lack of driver response.
• Sometimes newly licensed teen drivers make assumptions that get them in trouble.

Characteristics of Risk

• You are at risk every minute you are on the road.
• Collisions can occur along any type of roadway
• Risk of crashing in a city is about the same as driving in a rural area.
• New drivers underestimate risks and tend to believe the likelihood of experiencing a crash is lower than it actually is.
• When drivers judge the immediate risk to be lower than it is, they are less likely to perceive threats. Crash risk increases when drivers feel complacent.
• There are always actions you can take to reduce your risk.
• The hallmark of skillful drivers is that they are always taking action to reduce their risk and the risk to other road users, described as Perceive, Decide, and Act.
• The first step is to perceive everything in the traffic scene by undertaking a systematic visual search, including:
  • Searching 20 to 30 seconds ahead along your intended path of travel for objects and conditions that could increase risk.
  • Being aware of available traction on the road surface.
  • Identifying an alternate path of travel 12 to 15 seconds ahead
• The next step in taking action to reduce risk is making wise decisions with the information gathered from your visual search.
• Using said information to manage risk includes:
  • Predicting the actions of other road users that could affect your risk.
  • Assessing the consequences of alternative responses.
  • Determining the best course of action.
• The final step is to take effective action to reduce your risk.
• Actions and maneuvers can involve:
  • Changing speed by decelerating, braking, or accelerating.
  • Adjusting position or direction by changing lanes or turning.
  • Communicating with other road users.
  • A combination of two or more of the above.
• Give yourself enough time to effectively complete the Perceive, Decide, and Act sequence by leaving enough space between your vehicle and road users.
• This will give you time to make adjustments, maximize your visibility of the traffic scene, and maintain sufficient space.

Accountability

• A driver's license brings accountability.
• Ways you will be accountable: -Administrative rules and expectations: The DMV is authorized to grant, suspend, and even revoke the driving privilege.
  • Traffic laws and rules of the road: The state criminal court system is responsible for hearing cases relating to moving violations - judges apply points, fines, community service, and other penalties.
  • Other citizens: Driving brings civil exposure. If someone is injured or killed as a result of a traffic incident in which you are involved, you can be sued.
  • Parental/guardian expectations: You are also accountable to your parents/guardians at home.

Graduated Driver Licensing

• Graduated driver licensing (GDL) is a system designed to ease new drivers into safe driving by providing practice and skill development under low-risk conditions.
• GDL programs promote basic knowledge and skills development.
• As new drivers become more experienced, they gradually can drive under increasingly complex driving conditions.
• This incremental process has been proven to reduce teen crashes, injuries, and deaths.
• Parents, guardians, and mentors play an important role in these efforts.
• GDL programs allow novice drivers to gain the skills, experience, and judgment necessary to become reduced-risk drivers.
• Most GDL programs include three licensing stages: a learner's permit; an intermediate, or provisional, license; and an unrestricted, or "full,” license.
• License applicants typically invest 12 to 24 months in the first two stages of the process before becoming eligible for a full license.
• Newly licensed young drivers following the GDL approach crash at far lower rates than teens who learned to drive before GDL was implemented.
• Prior to GDL, some states required only a minimum of 14 days from the time a person was granted a learner's permit to the time he or she was awarded a driver's license.
• Learner's Permit: States require new teen drivers to hold a learner's permit for 6 months to 1 year.
• Most jurisdictions refer to a permit as a "learner instructional permit."
• During the learner's permit period, new drivers typically successfully complete a Driver Education Program and learn basic skills under supervision of a licensed instructor or adult.
• Applicants may drive only when accompanied by a qualified supervising driver.
• Many jurisdictions require learner's permit holders to complete 50+ hours of supervised driving with a parent, guardian, or other adult before testing.
• Learner's permit holders must remain free of moving violations and at-fault crashes for several months before advancing to the next stage.
• Some states require restarting the required minimum permit hold time when convicted of a moving violation or an at-fault crash.
• Intermediate or Provisional License: During the intermediate, a learner is generally allowed to operate a vehicle unsupervised but with restrictions designed to reduce risk and distractions.
• Most states prohibit intermediate license holders from driving solo during certain nighttime hours.
• Many states also limit the number of passengers under 18, and some states prohibit new drivers from transporting young passengers.

Risks of Passengers Based on Age

• With three or more passengers under 21, crash risk increases 300%.
• A teen's crash risk decreases by 62% when a passenger aged 35 or older is present.
• Many jurisdictions require drivers to be free of at-fault crashes and moving violations for a specified number of months before being eligible for a full license.
• Full license: after meeting intermediate requirements, drivers may obtain this at around age 17 or 18.

Driving Reluctance

• Not everyone looks forward with anticipation to driving.
• If you're nervous or resistant to earning your license, you are not alone.
• Many young people are delaying learning to drive because of the expense or commitment to using public transportation.
• If you're feeling extra nervous to the point of anxiety and are frightened at the thought of driving, you may be experiencing vehophobia.
• If you are avoiding learning to drive because of fear, talk to a parent or other trusted adult.

Parent/Guardian Involvement

• Parents, guardians, and mentors play an important role in learning to drive.
• Key factors in their involvement and guidance for driving coaches:
  • Communicate: Parents/guardians and teens must communicate effectively and consider a parent-teen driving agreement and review the agreement periodically.
  • Be a good role model: Parents/guardians and teens who commit to safe driving behaviors can help reduce risk for all drivers in a family.
  • Conduct supervised driving sessions: Developing reduced-risk driving abilities is critical. Novice drivers need much more assistance and experience to become accomplished drivers.

Driving Coaches

• Parents, guardians, and adults who are at least 21 years old and whose driving records are clear for the past 5 or more years make the best mentors.
• Mentors can help instill reduced-risk driving habits.
• The most effective way is to synchronize supervised driving with the topics and skills being taught in the teen's driver education program.
• Driving coaches can be more effective if they:
  • Design and pre-drive appropriate routes for each session
  • Ensure the driver understands the session's goals and objectives before beginning the session.
  • Remain calm, patient, alert, and supportive
  • Properly demonstrate maneuvers as needed
  • Provide directions appropriately in advance
  • Avoid confusing words
  • Monitor traffic in all directions while also supervising the new driver's actions
  • Choose a safe, off-road position to review the novice driver's performance
  • Apply a checklist to evaluate and track the new driver's progress
  • Use commentary driving

Parent-Teen Driving Agreements

• A parent-teen driving agreement is a document that is discussed, agreed to, and signed by parents/guardians and their new driver.
• Factors to consider when developing/ implementing a parent-teen agreement include:
  • Restrictions -Limit all nighttime driving and gradually allow limited amounts as the new driver progresses.
  • Prohibit alcohol and other drug use by the driver and any passengers in the vehicle.
  • Require everyone in the vehicle to wear safety belts at all times.
  • Restrict the number of teenage passengers.
  • Prohibit driving when fatigued, angry, or upset.
• Act promptly if there is an infraction of the agreement. Be loving, but firm.
• Be consistent when applying consequences for infractions and do not renegotiate consequences that are already established in the agreement.
• Remain positive. Focus on the new driver's safety and wellbeing as a main concern and reward responsible behavior.

Advice for New Drivers

• It's normal to be nervous.
• Expect to make mistakes.
• For your driving ability to improve, your mentor will need to coach and correct you.
• Ask questions when you're confused or unsure what your mentor expects of you.
• Understand the difference between "comfortable" and "ready."
• Minimize distractions, keeping cellphones off and out of sight, and keeping the radio off.
• Learn to predict other drivers' behaviors.
• Fight any temptation to end a driving session in frustration.
• Document all of your time at the wheel.
• Celebrate your successes.