The statistics on teen driver fatalities are shocking. Car crashes are the number one killer of teenagers. In Colorado, fatalities were up 10 percent in 2012. From 2004 to 2011, motor vehicle crash rates for drivers from 15-19 years of age dropped more than 57 percent, according to CDOT. Statewide education and heightened enforcement likely led to the drop, officials say. But last year teen fatalities jumped 10 percent from 2011.
In response, CDOT and the Colorado Teen Driving Alliance are launching an online parent course that provides step-by-step instructions on how parents can learn, and then teach their kids about Colorado's graduated driver's license laws. Recently, a survey of parents of teens indicated that only 6.4 percent of parents could determine the license laws including curfews, passenger restrictions and seat belt requirements.
All teen drivers must log 50 hours of practice driving with a parent or legal guardian. The online course guides parents through lesson ideas to help cover different aspects of practice driving.
No one knows more about the dangers of teen driving than Tim Hollister, an attorney who lives in Hartford, who is an advocate for teen driver laws. After the death of his son in 2006 in a car accident, Tim has worked to change the laws to address key concerns associated with younger drivers, including the risks associated with passengers, their lack of experience, and their propensity to engage in risky behaviors such as texting or cell phone use. Mr. Hollister is the author of a new book titled, "Not So Fast: Parenting your Teen Through the Dangers of Driving," which offers suggestions for parents.
"Teaching a teen to drive is a daunting process," said Carol Gould, highway safety manager for CDOT. "But the best way to put yourself at ease is to get up to speed on the process of getting a license, understanding the specific restrictions for teen drivers and treat the learning process as a true partnership."
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Source: www.denverpost.com, www.foxnews.com
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