AAA urges parents to "Keep The Keys" until teen drivers sign agreement

AAA Challenges Legislators and Parents to Tackle Tough Teen Driving Issues

In light of new research released today, AAA has issued a challenge to parents to “keep the keys” from their teen driver until a Parent-Teen Agreement is signed. AAA also urged state legislators across the country to enact laws to strengthen existing graduated driver licensing (GDL) systems currently in place.

The research, “Nationwide Review of Graduated Driver Licensing,” funded by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, shows that states that have GDL systems with five out of seven components included in the study saw a 38-percent decrease in fatal crashes involving 16-year-old drivers. For injury crashes involving 16-year-old drivers, the decrease was 40 percent. Traffic crashes are the number one cause of death for teens in the United States, killing more than 4,800 teens in 2005, according to NHTSA.

“The study demonstrates that the enactment of laws is key to improving teen driver safety,” said Brian Newbacher, AAA East Central’s Director of Public Affairs. “AAA is urging legislators throughout the country to strengthen the GDL systems in their states to include the components that this study shows make a substantial difference in saving teen lives and reducing injuries.”

The seven components are:

A minimum age of at least 16 years for receiving a learner’s permit.
A requirement to hold the learner’s permit for at least 6 months before receiving a license that allows any unsupervised driving.
A requirement for certification of at least 30 hours of supervised driving practice during the learner stage.
An intermediate stage of licensing with a minimum entry age of at least 16 years and 6 months.
A nighttime driving restriction for intermediate license holders, beginning no later than 10 p.m.
A passenger restriction for intermediate license holders, allowing no more than one passenger (except family members).
A minimum age of 17 years for full, unrestricted licensure.

These items were chosen for that research because they were the most common components in GDL systems throughout the country. They should not be considered an exhaustive list of safety provisions for teen drivers. Ohio currently has four components, with passenger limits having been signed into law that will take effect this April 6. No more than one non-family passenger is permitted for 16-year-old drivers.

“This research shows we are definitely on the right track,” said Newbacher. “Easing teens into licensure by limiting their exposure to risky situations while they are gaining needed experience behind the wheel, saves lives.”

Parents play an important role in keeping teens safe on the road. Newbacher challenged parents to have their teens sign a Parent-Teen Agreement that, “spells out the rules for earning the privilege of driving, including components that this study shows work so effectively in GDL systems throughout the country.

“Regardless of what the law is in their state, parents should set clear driving rules that include limiting night driving, no other teens in the car, and no cell phone use while driving, just to name a few,” Newbacher said.

AAA also encourages parents to get involved in the legislative process in their states by working to make the licensing requirements better.

“Ask your legislators to place stronger limits on nighttime driving and to increase the age at which a learner’s permit may be obtained to age 16,” said Newbacher. “It may be inconvenient for a parent to be the chauffeur for a while longer, but when it can save many lives, it’s worth it.”