Teen Texting and Driving: A Modern Day Hazard

The solutions

What can be done to help teens understand the danger? Some places are going to extreme measures to help curb this rising trend. In the summer of 2009, British police released a graphic depiction of a fake car crash resulting from a teen driver texting behind the wheel. The video, which shows four people dying in the crash, was deemed too graphic for anyone under the age of 18 on the popular video site YouTube, but can still be found on several other websites.

AAA offers other, less shocking ways for you to show your teen the importance of driving safety, and to keep her safe while driving:

Set restrictions: Inexperienced drivers should drive only during daylight hours, on familiar roads, and without teenage passengers.

Be a positive role model by obeying speed limits, avoiding the use of electronic devices while driving, and being courteous to other drivers.

Talk about teen car crashes and how to prevent them. Discuss the importance of wearing a seat belt, and the hazards of driving at night, while using a cell phone, or with teenage passengers.

Enter into a parent-teen driving agreement with your child. Put it in writing, and sign it with your teen.

AAA has started a campaign to ban texting while driving in all U.S. states by 2013. Eighteen states, plus the District of Columbia, currently have laws that address the use of mobile devices while driving. Find the driving laws in your state, and visit AAA's website to find more information on how to keep your teen safe behind the wheel.