The combination of schools closed, activities curtailed, summer jobs canceled, and COVID-19 restrictions being lifted, could prove deadly as teens take to the road this summer.
AAA recommends now is a good time for parents to both model safe driving behaviors and help ensure their teens practice them too.
In the past ten years, 51 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers in Nevada during the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Nationwide, more than 8,300 people died in teen-related summertime crashes from 2008 to 2018.
Due to their inexperience, teen drivers are at a higher risk of crashes.
To keep roads safer this summer, AAA encourages parents to:
- Talk with teens early and often about abstaining from dangerous behavior behind the wheel, such as speeding, impairment and distracted driving.
- Teach by example, and minimize risky behavior when driving.
- Establish a parent-teen driving agreement that sets family rules for teen drivers.
- Conduct at least 50 hours of supervised practice driving with their teen.
To support parents in conducting practice driving sessions during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, AAA is providing a free four-page guide to coach their teens on how to drive safely.
It's called "Coaching Your New Driver – An In-Car Guide for Parents" and offers behind-the-wheel lesson plans, including a variety of “DOs and DON’Ts” to make the learning experience as helpful as possible.
For parents, the guide can be beneficial as they coach their teens on a variety of routes, building on their formal behind-the-wheel training.
