Defensive Driving Classes for Teens
According to the website "Teens Health," defensive driving is the practice of removing distractions from the vehicle and focusing on the task at hand. A 2006 joint study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found 80 percent of crashes could be blamed on driver inattention within the three seconds immediately before impact. Encouraging your teen to take a defensive driving course -- whether on the open road, a closed course or the internet -- can help keep him safe behind the wheel.
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Computer Courses
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With the proliferation of the internet has come a proliferation of online and computer-based courses designed to teach your teen the lessons of defensive driving. The advocacy website "Teen Driving" lists many of these programs, some of which are internet-based -- such as "Get Defensive" and "Teen Driving Course" -- while others are programs you load onto your computer, such as "Virtual Drive." Online and computer-based options allow parents to take the class alongside their teen. If your teen is taking one of these courses as a result of a traffic citation, make sure the class is state-accredited or -approved by calling the department of motor vehicles where you live.
Classroom Courses
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Help your teen learn the skills of defensive driving behind the wheel instead of over the computer by enrolling her in a classroom course. These courses -- taught in person instead of over the internet -- give a student face-time with her instructors. In addition to classroom lessons, the courses can also involve time in a defensive driving simulator or on a road course. Some of these programs -- such as the Suncoast Defensive Driving School -- are local or regional programs; others, such as Ford Driving Skills for Life, Danny McKeever's Fast Lane Defensive Driving Academy and the Street Survival Course, are programs that tour the country every year, bringing their lessons to new groups of students. McKeever's classes cost $375 as of February, 2011, and teach students skills such as avoidance maneuvers, which can help young drivers avoid potentially dangerous situations on the road. The day-long Street Survival Course is a joint venture by Tire Rack and the BMW CCA Foundation; it costs $75 to enroll as of February, 2011.
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Benefits for Teens
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A defensive driving course can benefit your teen by making her a more responsible, confident driver. A study by the Center For Disease Control finds teens are four times more likely than older drivers to be involved in a vehicle crash. A joint study by the defensive driving school "Car Control" and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles found graduates of that course had 77 percent fewer accidents than teenage drivers who didn't participate.
Benefits for Parents
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While teaching your teen the skills of defensive driving could save his life, it could also save parents some money. The website "Car Insurance Rates" reports that in some states, having a teenage driver on your policy could cause your car insurance rates to double. Enrolling your teen in a defensive driving course can help you qualify for a discount rate.
Defensive Driving vs. Driver's Ed
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A defensive driving course, which focuses on defensive driving tips and techniques, is different than the standard driver's education classes required for a teen to earn her license or learner's permit. While programs such as Danny McKeever's Fast Lane are available to a teen who already has -- or will soon take -- driver's ed, a participant in the Car Control Clinic and Street Survival course must already have her learner's permit.
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References
- Teens Health: The Keys To Defensive Driving
- "VTTI and NHTSA"; 80 percent of crashes caused by driver inattention; Susan Dickerson; April 20, 2006
- "Edmunds"; Defensive Driving School for Teenagers; Philip Reed; September 9, 2002
- Car Insurance Rates: How Defensive Driving Class Could Lower Your Teen's Premiums
- Centers For Disease Control And Prevention: Teen Drivers: Fact Sheet
- Car Control: Dept. of Highway Safety Reports Car Control Clinic Reduces Teen Crash Rate by 77%
Resources
- Photo Credit morning traffic image by Christopher Martin from Fotolia.com
