Good Neighbor Stories

Time to Refocus Teen Driving Behaviors

Fri, 16 Oct 2020 14:03:00 -0500

A new State Farm® online survey examines teen attitudes and behaviors about the use of smartphones while driving. This is what teens say:

Nine out of ten teenage drivers say they engage in at least one smartphone behavior while driving.
Parents influence their teenage children. Teens whose parents use cellphones while driving were more likely to do the same.
Teens report using phones while driving despite finding such activities distracting and believing they can increase the likelihood of a crash.
Teens who have been in an accident have a higher tendency to use their phone when behind the wheel.
Many teens reported driving a vehicle equipped with an advanced safety feature: automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, or lane keeping assist. These teens more likely engaged in distracted smartphone behaviors while driving than those who drove vehicles without safety features. Teens are comfortable taking their eyes off the road to focus on other tasks when the safety systems are active. This is a dangerous combination.

“Drivers who engage in distracting behaviors while behind the wheel are making the decision to put themselves, their passengers and other road users at risk,“ said Laurel Straub, Assistant Vice President of Enterprise Research at State Farm. “Unfortunately, this risk often leads to crashes, injuries, and fatalities. These tragedies are preventable.”

For teens, parents are an important role model in the car.

"Our data shows that teens who admit to using a smartphone while driving are more likely to have a parent or guardian who also uses a phone while driving,” Straub added.

When learning hands-on driving skills it's important to:

Eliminate distractions when behind the wheel.
Practice your driving skills with your parents.
Enroll in drivers education courses.
Review state graduated drivers licensing laws.
Establish restrictions, boundaries and curfews.

Tips to avoid distractions while driving (not just for teens!):

Put the phone away. Set it to send an automatic reply while driving – no texts, internet, selfies or social media.
Adjust controls - GPS, radios, air conditioning, or mirrors – before driving.
If you must call, pull over and park in a safe place or ask your passenger to call.
Always, always have your head in the game – drive safe.

More safety help is available. Our auto insurance discount programs like State Farm Drive Safe & Save^TM and Steer Clear^® help you save while also improving your driving habits. Steer Clear reinforces safe driving habits in young drivers under age 25.

Did you know...

Texting is banned for all drivers in 48 states and the District of Columbia. Missouri bans texting for drivers 21 and younger. Montana has no texting ban. Cellphone usage is restricted for young drivers in 37 states and the District of Columbia. Cellphone use laws by state

Traffic crashes are a leading cause of death for teens. Impairment, passengers, distractions from mobile phones and navigation systems, speeding, and not wearing a seat belt are among the major contributing factors to the number of teen injuries and fatalities on our nation’s roads each year.

Innovations such as Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keeping Assist are designed to make our roadways safer. However, these systems are meant to assist drivers, not replace them.

Even with these technologies in place, it’s important for drivers to pay attention when behind the wheel. Research shows that keeping your hands on the steering wheel and eyes on the road decreases the odds of crash involvement.

Types of Driving Distractions:

Visual – eyes off road
Cognitive – mind off driving task
Manual – hands off steering wheel

Human error is the attributing factor in 94 percent of motor vehicle crashes in the United States.¹

In 2018, distracted driving factored into approximately 14% (938,000) of all police-reported crashes, resulting in at least 2,841 deaths and an estimated 400,000 injuries.²

As of 2019, 81% of Americans owned a smartphone and 96 % of young adults (under 30) owned a smartphone.³

*Source: ^{1, 2} National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; ³ Pew Research Center

National Teen Driver Safety Week Guest Blog

Mon, 21 Oct 2019 07:00:00 -0500

October and autumn have finally arrived for most parts of the country! As a teen, this means pumpkin carving, fall festivals, and still trying to sneak in some trick-or-treating. As young people, we’re busy balancing school schedules, extra-curriculars, and attempts at having a social life. However, this fun season brings additional risks to teens like me as we get behind the wheel.

Research conducted by State Farm shows that October is the month with the most teen crash claims. Why is this? What’s the cause? Perhaps it’s because with the season comes with shorter days, hazardous weather conditions, and more after school activities. Personally, I find this time of year to be my busiest, and as a newly licensed driver. I find myself on the road more frequently to keep up with my busy schedule. This seems to be true for many of my friends and classmates too, and with more time on the road comes higher risks. Teens are especially vulnerable to distractions, impairment, and drowsiness, which makes any trip more dangerous.

Teens also lack experience behind the wheel. This makes even driving in perfect conditions a challenge. Even though there’s no true substitute for experience, my parents and I still work together on different skills that can help me be prepared for the unknowns of any trip. This preparation can include enrolling in drivers ed courses, reviewing state GDL laws, and establishing restrictions such as curfews and driving boundaries.

SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) works closely with State Farm to keep young people safe on the roads. In the third week of October, SADD and State Farm participate in National Teen Driver Safety Week. It is a time set aside to shine a spotlight on the #1 killer of teens - car crashes. In most recent studies, 3,255 teens ages 16-19 were involved in fatal car crashes. The most upsetting part about this statistic is that most all of these crashes are preventable. SADD students all across the country will be working with local State Farm agents to spread the word, educate teens and parents, and make sure everyone stays safe this October.

While this season is a fun time for many, we must work together to acknowledge the dangers of the road, specifically for teens. Teens - talk with your parents about good driving habits. Parents - monitor your teens to make sure they are safe behind the wheel. Simple decisions like wearing your seatbelt, putting down the cell phone, and limiting passengers can be the difference in making roads safer. Be safe out there and enjoy the colors of fall.

A Series Of Preventable Mistakes: Hunter’s Story

Wed, 10 Jan 2018 08:00:00 -0600

The car drifted around the corner and the inexperienced driver over-corrected. Hurtling across the rural mountain road, the car slammed into a tree. Hunter Clegg, a fourteen year old boy sitting in the front passenger seat, died in the crash. Everyone else walked away from this tragic, preventable crash.

Hunter was full of energy, friendly to all and well-liked in return. He excelled at soccer and other outdoor pursuits, but offered the world more than his gift in sports. Kids gravitated toward Hunter for his well-rounded personality, compassion and zest for life. In 2009, with his whole life ahead of him, the future was bright as he prepared to enter high school.

Two days after freshman orientation, Hunter joined a group of teens and one parent for a camping trip. The next day, on the way home, tragedy struck. This crash was the consequence of a series of poor choices and could have very easily been prevented.

First, the supervising parent asked his 17 year old son to drive a group of teens. The teen's license was still subject to California's Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) laws.

Second, the teen driver did not resist his father's request and none of the other teens objected. Finally, with a toxic mix of distractions and reckless driving, the inexperienced driver lost control of his vehicle. The cost of these bad decisions was the life of one young teen.

After Hunter's death, it took his family about two years before they could even consider sharing their pain and suffering with others. "Given the depths of despair and level of pain that we felt, you would do anything to prevent it from happening to any other family" his mom, Leeana explained.

She has since dedicated her life to teen driver safety education. "Saving lives is why I am doing it," she says.

Leeana decided to join forces with non-profit, Impact Teen Drivers (ITD). ITD, with support from State Farm, hopes to create a driving culture free of distractions. Based in Sacramento, California, they provide materials and presentations to schools for the benefit of parents and teens.

During the ITD workshops in Northern California, Leeana, one of their presenters, reminds her audience, “being a good kid has nothing to do with being an experienced driver.” Hunter was in a car with a good kid behind the wheel.

Two-thirds through the presentation, after the audience has watched a video about Hunter's story (video: parent version/ teen version), Leeana steps back on stage and reintroduces herself as Hunter's mom. This late reveal makes an emotional impact on the audience.

People assume presenting Hunter's story is part of the healing process for Leeana and her family. "It is hard, relieving the worst part of my life repeatedly," she explains. "It was anything but therapeutic. Only now, years later, has it become a little easier."

Leeana emphasizes that saving lives is everyone's responsibility. Parents, in particular, are at the heart of the solution to keeping kids safe.

In Leeana's experience, parents are not always informed about GDL laws in their state. It is imperative parents know the laws and "enforce the laws in their own home, every time with no exceptions," she insists. With engaged parents leading by example it is possible to reduce teen driver crashes.

Find your state’s GDL law @ http://st8.fm/findGDL

The culture and laws have changed when it comes to wearing seat belts, using child passenger safety seats, and driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs. As a result, lives have been saved. Leeana knows GDL laws are critical to saving more lives. GDL is a critical tool, and if properly implemented and supported, will help combat distracted and reckless driving.