After school hours are as dangerous
for teen driving as weekend evenings

It seems obvious to worry about teens on the road during Friday and Saturday nights, but a new study reveals that after school hours during the week are in fact just as deadly as weekends.

In analysis of crash data, nearly as many 16- and 17-year-old drivers were found to be involved in fatal crashes between 3 and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday as were on Friday and Saturday nights between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m. Between 2002 and 2005 the totals for the weekday and weekend periods differed by a mere 137 deaths.

"There are a lot of teens on the roads during the after school hours - driving home from school, to after school jobs, to sports and other activities, and out driving with their friends," said Jack Peet, manager of Community Safety Services for AAA Michigan.

It should also be noted that during these afternoon hours there is an increased amount of traffic on the roads, with commuters and adults making other trips, making driving even more difficult for new teen drivers.

While the implementation of night driving limits for teen drivers in 44 states has drawn attention to these late night hours when teens' crash risk is highest, we suggest that parents should be just as diligent in monitoring their teens' daily afternoon driving as they would be on weekend nights out.

Help keep your teen safe with the following tips:

1. Set very clear driving rules with your teen. Gradually increase driving rights as teens follow rules and decrease liberties with rule-breaking. Parents can find a parent-teen driver agreement here.
   

2. Prohibit teens from carrying passengers during at least the first three months of driving. Allow no more than one passenger for the rest of the first year of independent driving. Crash rates increase drastically for 16- and 17-year-old drivers as you add young passengers to a car.
   

3. Don't allow your teen to ride with another new driver. Carpooling seems like a sensible way for teens to ride to school, home and activities, but can promote risky behavior. Research shows that it's more dangerous for a group of teens to ride in one car than for them to drive individually in multiple vehicles.
   

4. Ban the cell phone. Teens, like all of us, have trouble managing distractions, especially while driving. Even if there is no law in your state, it should be a family rule.
   

5. Require a seat belt be worn every time your teen rides in a car. Teens have the lowest belt use rate, a tragic irony given that new drivers have the highest crash rates.
   

6. Make driving rules known to other adults in your teen's life. A parent-to-parent agreement with your teen driver's friends can establish standard rules among a group of teenagers, making gradual licensure easier for everyone. Letting your neighbors know your teen's driving rules can give you extra sets of eyes when you're not around. You can also find a parent-to-parent agreement here.

"Parents should remember that there is no better role model than themself," says Peet. "If you speed, tailgate and run red lights, your teen probably will too. Be a positive role model for your young driver and make sure your teen understands family driving rules."

(Source: AAA Michigan)