Suggestions for Setting Boundaries for Newly-Licensed TeenMinnesota Department of Public Safety has provided the following information.
Establishing Rules for Newly Licensed Teens. Studies have found that the risk of a crash and ticket is highest during the first year of licensure. A natural strategy for mentoring new drivers comes from the combination of progressive privileges and rational consequences. Some parents find a written contract enhances the agreement they make with their teen driver about driving privileges. Click here for a Sample Contract
Step 1
-Daylight conditions only -Low-stress conditions (low-traffic volume and good road conditions) -No passengers or a limited number of passengers
Step 2 -Nighttime driving, with a curfew and no passengers -More daytime passengers allowed
Step 3 -Nighttime driving with one passenger
Step 4 -All road and traffic conditions allowed -Maintain passenger and cell phone use restriction
Step 5 -Unrestricted privileges to drive
Top 6 Risk Factors Statistics show that the leading cause of death in Minnesota's 15-17 year olds is traffic crashes. The top six driving risk factors for teens are:
Inattentiveness - Driver inattention/distraction is the most common contributing factor in multiple vehicle crashes
Excessive speed - Illegal/unsafe speed is the most common contributing factor in single vehicle crashes for drivers. Teens particularly have difficulty adjusting speed to driving conditions.
Failure to wear a safety belt - Properly wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of fatal injury to front seat passenger occupants by 45% in a car and 60% in a light truck.
Fatigue - A person who has been 24 hours experiences impairment nearly equal to a blood alcohol concentration of .10%. And, teens often don't get enough sleep.
Failure to Yield - Not checking traffic before pulling out - Most crashes involving teens occur at intersections because of their inexperience judging distance and speed.
Driving with other teens - The presence of passengers strongly increased crash risk. For teen drivers, the more passengers the greater the risk.
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