AAA study finds teens not prepared for driving

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By ABC11

Friday, October 15, 2010

From teens nearly being hit, to others missing their turns, dash board cameras tracked fifty North Carolina families with a teen driver on a restricted permit and found they aren't getting enough experience during their first year of supervised driving.

Since car crashes are the leading cause of deaths for teenagers it is clear that teens need more practice, according to the AAA Foundation for traffic safety.

After a year, researchers found one in three parents said they didn't consider their teen ready to drive unsupervised in heavy traffic or on the highway. And, one in five didn't think their teen was ready to drive unsupervised in the rain.

There are, however, some things parents can do before their teens get behind the wheel. The study recommends exposing new teen drivers to various driving experiences like day traffic, vs. night traffic, city vs. rural roads, and different weather conditions.

AAA does recommend teen drivers take an accredited driving class through an accredited driving school to help instead of just relying on the parents and their time with the children. That time invested during the learners phase can prove to be crucial down the road.

Click here to ready the study.