| Are you one of those parents who can’t help but | | | | with 15- through 19-year-old drivers in 16 states and |
| worry about your teens driving your car to school | | | | Washington, D.C. These crashes were reported to |
| even if you have already taught them everything you | | | | State Farm from December 2000 through December |
| knew about safe driving, including making sure that the | | | | 2005. |
| GMC brake booster is working? | | | | The researchers also warn parents to make sure |
| A study released this week from The Children's | | | | there is a specific destination involved with the trip – |
| Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and State Farm(R) | | | | as crash risk increases dramatically among teen |
| reveals that while children driven by teens are twice | | | | drivers when there is no predetermined destination. |
| as likely to suffer crash injury as those driven by | | | | Dr. Winston offers this advice to parents who are |
| adults, their risk is 40 percent lower if the teenaged | | | | deciding whether to allow their teens to drive younger |
| driver is their older brother or sister. | | | | brothers and sisters: "Parents should pay attention to |
| Published this week in the journal Injury Prevention, the | | | | their children's risk-taking tendencies before allowing |
| research provides valuable insights for parents, as well | | | | them to ride together without an adult. In some cases, |
| as for state lawmakers involved in setting standards | | | | siblings can have a negative influence on one another's |
| for graduated driver licensing (GDL) laws for young | | | | risk-taking behaviors that can be stronger than parental |
| drivers. | | | | or peer influence." |
| The ongoing research alliance between CHOP and | | | | According to Dr. Winston, "Busy parents have come to |
| State Farm have proven in an earlier study that young | | | | rely on their older children helping with shuttling siblings |
| children riding with newly licensed teenagers are at a | | | | to various commitments. By allowing family member |
| much higher risk for injury in a crash than they are with | | | | exceptions, passenger restrictions may be readily |
| adult drivers. This and other studies have urged | | | | accepted by both parents and policymakers." |
| lawmakers in many states to impose restrictions on | | | | Researchers say this may be an important first step |
| the number of passengers young drivers are allowed | | | | for states, which currently have no passenger |
| to carry without adult supervision. Many states | | | | restrictions for young drivers. |
| however, allow exceptions for family members. | | | | Rather than restrict sibling passengers, Dr. Winston |
| Until now, the injury risk to sibling versus non-sibling | | | | recommends GDL programs provide appropriate |
| passengers has not been explored. | | | | education and disincentives, such as postponement of |
| The study, conducted as part of the Partners for Child | | | | full-driving privileges if all child passengers are not |
| Passenger Safety project, included accident and injury | | | | properly restrained. |
| data on 16,233 children below age 16, who were riding | | | | |