Teen Driving
Parent Research
To better understand parents' knowledge of the teen driving issue and to help parents prepare their teen for driving, The Allstate Foundation recently conducted a national survey of 1,000 parents of teen drivers. Here is a sample of the findings:
- Most parents (59 percent) are aware that motor vehicle crashes are the number one killer of teens, yet they talk to their children about the dangers of smoking and drugs at an earlier age than safe driving.
- More than 70 percent of parents talk to their children about the dangers of smoking or drugs at age 12 or younger.
- Only 27 percent of parents talk about the dangers of unsafe driving with their children at age 12 or younger.
Parents don’t think highly of teens as drivers, but they see their teen as the exception.
Parents don’t think highly of teens as drivers, but they see their teen as the exception.
- Less than one-third of parents say teens are good drivers.
- Yet 88 percent of parents trust their teen to drive safely, and 55 percent believe that if their teen got in a crash, it would be someone else’s fault.
- Parents are influenced, for better or worse, by several factors – especially other parents.
- 48 percent of parents say other, more lenient parents make it difficult to control their own teen’s driving privileges.
- 38 percent of parents say they often disagree with their teen’s other parent about establishing and enforcing driving ground rules.
- 24 percent of parents say they have allowed their teen driving privileges against their own better judgment.
Parents understand they are role models on the road, yet their driving behaviors send the wrong message.- 99 percent of parents believe demonstrating good driving behavior is helpful in teaching their teen safe driving.
- Yet many parents admit to displaying bad driving behavior when their teens are in the car, including:
- 71 percent have talked on a cell phone.
- 62 percent have operated a radio, MP3 player, game or other device.
- 26 percent have broken the law.
Most parents (93 percent) believe they're prepared to teach their teens how to drive, yet they’re not familiar with the laws and the main causes for teen-involved crashes.- 60 percent of parents have never heard of or are only vaguely aware of Graduated Driver Licensing laws, which are proven to save teen lives.
- 49 percent of parents incorrectly believe that most teen crashes result from drunk driving, while the main causes are driver error, speeding and distractions.
- Parents allow teens to drive in risky situations in the first few months after receiving their license:
- 90 percent of parents allow their teen to drive after dark.
- 77 percent allow their teen to drive with friends.
- 70 percent allow their teen to drive in bad weather.
It's important to recognize that positive changes in teen attitudes and driving behavior alone are not enough to solve this problem. The changes must be supplemented by broader efforts, such as increased parental involvement in teens’ lives.