Do you know where your teenager is going?

There’s nothing more troubling than not knowing where your teen is when they go out and about in your car – or their own. Waiting all night for a call or text message from them, or getting a lengthy explanation at the end of the night (or in the morning), just doesn’t do anything for your level of worry or trust.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers…and yet, we willfully let our kids out the minute they get their drivers licenses. In some cases, we embrace the new driver in the family as an additional resource for errands. One minute they’re dependent 15 year olds, requiring personal taxi service to school, the dentist, their friends’ houses, and sports practice, and the next, they’re independent 16 year olds wielding a weapon that can seriously injure or kill themselves or others.

It is a fact that 16 year-olds have higher crash rates than drivers of any other age, which makes sense seeing that they’re the newest drivers on the road. They are three times more likely to die in a motor vehicle crash than the average of all drivers, according t the NHTSA. There is very little we can do as parents waiting for that call we want; “I’m fine, Mom, I’m at the movies,” or the one we don’t want; “Oh my God, Dad, I’m at the side of the road. The paramedics are working on Tom, and the car is completely totaled.” The waiting is the hardest part.

Many parents of teens are opting for vehicle tracking systems to provide them with the peace of mind they need to ensure their kids are driving responsibly. With the right tracker, parents can watch their kids’ vehicles every 20-seconds; monitor their speed, and even print out reports for up to a year that will point out bad driving patterns. Having a tracking report with you at the kitchen table, when discussing speeding or “unapproved” locations, can be a very valuable tool; especially when debating a speeding ticket, “I really was only going 35mph.” It’s not about trust. It’s about safety.

• 
  According to a 2005 survey of 1,000 people ages 15 and 17, conducted by the Allstate Foundation
  More than half (56 percent) of young drivers use cell phones while driving,
• 69 percent said that they speed to keep up with traffic
• 64 percent said they speed to go through a yellow light.
• 47 percent said that passengers sometimes distract them.
• Nearly half said they believed that most crashes involving teens result from drunk driving.

The justification for a tracker is clear. Implementing a tracking policy for your teen driver is just smart. For more information on choosing the right tracking device for your family or to read “12 Things You Need to Know About Vehicle Tracking,” send me an email at lorie.r@foxtrax.com or visit http://foxtraxgps.com/ft/lp-car4.html to review the advantages of FoxTraxTM vehicle tracking solutions.

Lorie

FoxTrax GPS Fleet Tracking
Clever solutions for vehicle tracking
http://foxtraxgps.com