In our ongoing series to help Colorado parents keep their teen
drivers safe behind the wheel, we offer the following ... a wealth
of information from the National Safety Council - 5 Tips to Reduce
Teen Driver Crashes.
1. Set a Nighttime
Driving Restriction
Teens drive only 15% of their miles at night, but 40% of their
fatal motor vehicle crashes happen during that time period.
Even for experienced drivers, the changes of being in a crash
are about three times greater at night than during daylight hours.
The National Safety Council recommends no unsupervised
driving after 10:00 pm, earlier is even better.
2. Set a Passenger
Restriction
For teens, one passenger increases their crash risk by 48%,
according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. That
risk grows exponentially as more passengers are added - 258% more
likely to crash with two passengers and 307% more likely with three
or more. Having several teens in a vehicle turns it into a
social environment where driving behavior can be negatively
affected. The National Safety Council recommends zero
passengers younger than 18 be allowed during a teen's first 12
months of driving.
For the remaining tips, please see the full PDF, courtesy of the
National Safety Council.