4 Tips on How to Get Teens to Take Driving Seriously

Teen driver with one hand on the wheel and one talking on the phone

Learning to drive is a rite of passage for many teens. Driving brings excitement and new opportunities for independence. The downside of the new experience is teaching teens the real dangers of driving while distracted. Increasing awareness of the serious consequences of texting, talking on the cell phone or other forms of distraction is crucial.

An education program, “Get the Message” is part of the awareness program to teach the real threat of driving with distractions. Listening to a trauma survivor’s store and touring hospital trauma centers are major components of the campaign. Showing teens the real risks of distracted driving is part of the prevention process.

Four Major Components of the Distracted Driving Program

Breaking the driving program into four components helps in teaching teens the dangers of distracted dangers.

  1.  Introduction: The first component educates teens on the different types of distracted driving.
  2.  Hospital Tour: The second component includes a tour of a trauma center. The tour shows teens the hospital’s response to a distracted teen driving accident, including the helipad, resuscitation unit and the intensive care ward.
  3.  Video: The third component shows teens the emotional, physical and mental results of the vehicle accident. The trauma will affect every part of the teen’s lifestyle.
  4.  Survivor Presentation: The last component focuses on a driver who has survived a distracted driving accident. Listening to the driver’s story allows the teens to connect to the situation. Understanding one brief moment of distracted driving may result in lasting consequences.

The various components in the distracted driving program are yielding positive results. After finishing the program, surveyed teens understand the real risks of distracted driving. Teens participating the educational program are less likely to use the phone or send a text after the finishing the program.

Sources:

Insurance Journal

Society of Trauma Nurses