Survey: Younger drivers more likely to be drowsy on road

This was the headline of a recent newspaper article that caught our eye.  Much attention is given to the dangers of drinking and driving, but "drowsy" does not seem to get the attention it also deserves.  This article in the USA Today by Larry Copeland (Nov. 10, 2012) cited a number of stats from a new survey by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

"One in 7 licensed drivers (age 16 to 24) admits to having nodded off behind the wheel at least once in the past year".  It goes on to say that "drowsy driving is a factor in an estimated 1 in 6 fatal crashes in the USA".

Driving a car is a major responsibility that many just take for granted.  Being responsible behind the wheel is important and a must. 

Please be sure to remind your family members, friends, and those you are concerned about NOT to drive while under the influence...and NOT to drive when they are tired.

It matters.  Please drive safe.

A friendly reminder from your team at AutoHabits.

Upcoming National Teen Driver Safety Week

Mark your calendars for the 6^th annual National Teen Driver Safety Week (NTDSW), which takes place October 14-20, 2012.  The theme this year is “Share, Not Scare”, an important approach for parents to remember.

 

When talking to your teenager about driving, be sure to follow the NTDSW suggested tips (http://www.teendriversource.org)

 

·        Focus on the positive

·        Engage rather than offend

·        Empower rather than scare

 

Put Yourself in the Passenger Seat

Stay Connected to your College Student

School is back in session!  What an exciting time for students, especially new College Freshmen.  Lots of new experiences and some first-time distance from the safety of the parental nest.  Ahhh…freedom. 

From the parent’s perspective, the peacefulness of a quiet house is still not outweighing the heightened anxiety and nervousness of wondering what troubles and dangers their child could encounter.  Will they make good choices?  Will they stay safe?  While you know you have raised them to have a good head on their shoulders, you also know college is a whole new world. 

What are some good ways to stay connected to your college student?

It can be a tricky balance to give your new Freshman the room to grow, but also keep a watchful eye.  Plus, you miss them. You don’t want to smoother them, yet you would love to hear how it’s going.

Here are a few simple suggestions to stay within arms reach even though the distance is great:

1)      FACEBOOK:  Honestly, it’s how today’s generation is staying in touch with each other and it can be a great way for you to stay in-the-loop as well.  Be a friend of your Freshman, and jump into the conversation…every once in awhile.  Watch, but don’t over-post.

2)      TEXT:  A quick “hi”, “Are you bringing your laundry home this weekend?”, or “I love you” a couple times a week can be easily answered and let’s you know they still care.  They are meeting new friends, and hopefully studying too, so give them some space and don’t text multiple times a day….they may do that with some of their friends, but that’s for them. 

3)      EMAIL:  Pretty much the same goes for email.  You get more space to write a short paragraph and share more information, but forget about forwarding the daily funny email.  Those daily emails start to stack up in an in-box, and then you feel sad that they don’t reply to every one.  A couple emails a week is manageable – make them quality not quantity.

4)      CAREPACKAGES:  These never go out of fashion!  A box that arrives at the dorm room is always an exciting event.  Who wouldn’t want more fresh-baked goodness from home.  Surprise your freshman with one in the mail every once in awhile, but don’t make it a regular routine or it will be expected.

5)      AUTOHABITS:  Of course we wouldn’t forget to mention our driver monitoring system as the perfect way to stay connected.  You were there, and you know how boundaries can be pushed to an unsafe level with cars and college.  Having an AutoHabits system in place gives you peace of mind that safe driving habits are still being practiced, even if you are miles away.

So, stay connected.  Be safe.  And find peace and rest in your new quiet home.

Reducing Risky Driving Behavior

Chicken Pox.  Malaria.  Measles.  Those are just a few of the deadly diseases our society has brought under control in the 20^th Century.  But teenage driving?  That one still has us stumped.

Today, motor vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of death for young people aged 16-20 years old.   Thankfully, this rate is decreasing, but not quick enough.  What can be done?

Educating our young drivers about the risks of unsafe behavior is important, and always needed.  Encouraging safety belt usage and discouraging alcohol and cell-phone use while driving is important.  And just good common sense training and coaching on how to develop your young driver’s skills to be an attentive and defensive driver is required.  Then you hand them the keys, and you hope and trust they have listened and drive responsibly.

How else can we reduce risky driving behavior?

Monitor your driver.  It’s as simple as that, and today’s technology provides you the tools to do it.  GPS type devices, like AutoHabits, did not exist when parents of today’s teenagers were themselves the teenage drivers.  Back in those days, did we all practice responsible driving habits?  Did we ever push the boundaries?  Of course we did…we were teenagers too.  But would we have slowed down our speed, or not driven the car to places we were asked not to go if we knew our parents “were watching”?

Monitoring a teenage driver can greatly reduce risky driving behavior.  It is not complicated, and it just makes sense.  After all, what is most important to you?  It is the safety of your child.  That child now is a teenager, and it is natural for teenagers to push the boundaries and explore their new world.  Driving gives them freedom, which is exciting!  But for everyone’s sake, let’s all help our young drivers be safe!