NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665

September 10, 1998

Parent Line: I Would Like My Medal Please

Kim Bushaw, Parent Line Program Specialist
NDSU Extension Service

We just passed another milestone in our lives, and just like all the rest, it is worrisome and exciting. Our oldest is now a driver. Need I say more? Yes, for those folks who are still at the stage of calling every teenager, friend and grandparent in town to find child care so they can go to a movie, yes, I need say a lot more.

I didn't realize the impact this event would have on our lives. I apologize to all of the people who have ever talked to me about their children's driving in the past. No matter how well I listened, I couldn't have listened well enough. I know now what you were saying and if I had such things, I would gladly pass out medals for bravery to all parents of new drivers.

When our children were small, they were mostly home and I searched for child care so I could buy groceries alone once in a while. Anything to be in the car alone, feeling free, driving without any sounds. As they grew it was car-pool time. Picking up other children to buy yourself a day, here and there, of not driving.

Recently with our growing children, requests for rides have dwindled as walking and biking are now viable options. And somehow the times for drop-off and pickup have gotten later, especially during the summer.

Now, not only does our son drive himself where he wants to go, he picks up groceries, puts gas in the car and runs an assortment of other errands for us too. I understand this will wear off. My friends with older children tell me to take advantage of this driving-euphoria stage because I will have maybe three months, tops, when he is so willing to run for bread and milk.

Even though this new stage happily frees up some driving time for me, clearly the statistics point to danger with young drivers. The National Association of Independent Insurers reports that 10,000 16-year-old drivers die in motor vehicle accidents each decade. Many fatal accidents occur after dark. More than one-third of all deaths from all causes, for both genders ages 16 to 19, are related to motor-vehicle crashes.

A handful of states are trying a graduated licensing program for their inexperienced young drivers. There are limits on the age of passengers, curfews on driving after dark or during certain hours, no tolerance for drug and alcohol use, and an extended time to drive with supervision.

Parents don't need to wait for additional laws to be put in place for teen drivers. They can insist on their own car restrictions for their children. In "Launching Your Teen Gently," Elizabeth Crary suggests that after a child receives a permit or license the parents impose some special education of their own.

Supervise teen driving in special conditions such as freeway driving, driving in a variety of weather conditions—easy to find in North Dakota—driving on gravel roads, and a little tougher to find here, driving in the mountains. Rush hour may look a little different in Fortuna than it does in Bismarck, but practicing in heavy traffic is important too.

The new driver should be supervised while learning to fill the gas tank, change a tire, check the oil, the tire pressure and fill the wiper fluid. New drivers should be able to read a map and determine a plan to handle emergencies. Currently our child is encouraging us to lay a cell phone and AAA club card in the tool box and remove the rest of those things he doesn't know how to use. It just isn't going to happen!

Crary also talks a lot about the financial end of driving, including agreements on who is responsible for gas, oil, repairs, insurance and the like. So should parents and their young drivers.

The young driver should also be able to demonstrate an attitude of respect and responsibility: toward the vehicle, which will need regular checking, care and cleaning. Toward his family, who will need regular reassurance and information about where he is going, who he is with and when he will be home. And toward his friends, who will undoubtedly want to ride with a safe driver, even if it takes a little longer to become one.

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Source: Kim Bushaw (701) 231-1070

Editor: Dean Hulse (701) 231-6136