Teen Drivers: Track Them or Trust Them?

Auto insurance companies have started offering devices for parents to monitor teen driving habits. Services include in-car cameras or global positioning devices. The intent? Reducing teen accidents. We all know that insurance is higher for teens because they tend to get in more accidents. But is looking over their shoulder the right solution?

Teen fatality rates are four times higher than most drivers over 25. And with road rage on the rise, we certainly worry that our teens won’t know how to adequately handle a volatile situation. Will knowing that Mom will see and hear them later help teens drive better, or will it add more pressure and cause them to make more mistakes?

My concern is this: if you don’t trust your teen in the car, why in the world are you letting them drive alone? If they’re not ready, give them more road time with you in the car. They need practice and instruction on what to do or not do (not yelling or berating — just instruction). When my teenage stepdaughter was in the car with me, I would explain why another driver’s behavior was rude or dangerous. I wanted her to understand that she’s not the only car on the road and she must always look out for the “other guy.” Teens must understand the basics of defensive driving. If they don’t, why should we let them behind the wheel?

Some insurance companies with these teen safety programs offer discounts to parent participants. That alone may give many parents the incentive to enroll. I still believe we should teach our teens good habits and then be an example by not talking on our cell phones or getting distracted by things in the car.

Sometimes we just want to make sure our teens are where they say they are. And gps tracking can certainly help with that, especially in large cities where you can’t rely on neighbors to mention where they saw your teen last night. However, I hope to establish a relationship with my (soon-to-be born) son that won’t require these devices. I have no guarantees, but I hope that these devices are not 15-16 years in my future.

Maybe we need to take a closer look at the entire culture of driving. Is it time to raise the driving age? Or require permits for a longer period of time? Are teens mature enough to handle the privilege? I do think it varies by individual. But how many parents will refuse to let their teen drive until the teen is truly ready? I think it should be the parents’ responsibility to decide whether or not their teen is ready to drive alone.

If your insurance company offers cameras or gps monitoring, will you enroll your teen? Why or why not? I’d love to hear what other parents are thinking of doing. Fortunately, I have a number of years before I have to make that decision. And I wonder I’ll feel the same way then. What about you?

Source: AP/Google

Pictures courtesy Jimmy_Joe and SqueakyMarmot

By Becky Scott
Contributing Editor

My concern is this: if you don’t trust your teen in the car, why in the world are you letting them drive alone? If they’re not ready, give them more road time with you in the car. They need practice and instruction on what to do or not do (not yelling or berating — just instruction). When my teenage stepdaughter was in the car with me, I would explain why another driver’s behavior was rude or dangerous. I wanted her to understand that she’s not the only car on the road and she must always look out for the “other guy.” Teens must understand the basics of defensive driving. If they don’t, why should we let them behind the wheel?

Some insurance companies with these teen safety programs offer discounts to parent participants. That alone may give many parents the incentive to enroll. I still believe we should teach our teens good habits and then be an example by not talking on our cell phones or getting distracted by things in the car.

Sometimes we just want to make sure our teens are where they say they are. And gps tracking can certainly help with that, especially in large cities where you can’t rely on neighbors to mention where they saw your teen last night. However, I hope to establish a relationship with my (soon-to-be born) son that won’t require these devices. I have no guarantees, but I hope that these devices are not 15-16 years in my future.

Maybe we need to take a closer look at the entire culture of driving. Is it time to raise the driving age? Or require permits for a longer period of time? Are teens mature enough to handle the privilege? I do think it varies by individual. But how many parents will refuse to let their teen drive until the teen is truly ready? I think it should be the parents’ responsibility to decide whether or not their teen is ready to drive alone.

If your insurance company offers cameras or gps monitoring, will you enroll your teen? Why or why not? I’d love to hear what other parents are thinking of doing. Fortunately, I have a number of years before I have to make that decision. And I wonder I’ll feel the same way then. What about you?

Source: AP/Google

Pictures courtesy Jimmy_Joe and SqueakyMarmot

By Becky Scott
Contributing Editor

Comments

[becky]

Robin, I do realize that I am talking about my ideal. But I have been through the teenage thing with my stepdaughter, so do have some perspective on this. I was just talking about what I *hope* will happen with my son. Only time will tell.

Thanks for your comment!

[Robin]

Those are lofty ideals of a soon-to-be parent. I felt I raised a child to be a responsible young adult but teens become some other creature you don't recognize. I freely admit I do not trust my child to be where she says she will be and I've dealt with her not coming home at night. I've also dealt with calling all of her friends to try to locate her. Coming from a good family and being raised with proper values to be responsible does not matter when your child is a teenager. All of that hard work will pay off when they hit mid 20's (I hope) So, I am all in favor of GPS'ing my daughter. It gives me peace of mind and she knows she can't get away with as much when she is driving.

[Brad Borst]

RM Tracking GPS Device May Provide Evidence Contrary to Police Radar Gun in Teenage Speeding Case

The device was used to track the teenager’s speed, and will be used to fight a ticket that cited the teen traveling at almost 20 mph over the speed limit.

Fort Collin, CO October 31, 2007—17 year old Shaun Malone was recently given a speeding ticket by a police officer whose radar gun determined his speed to be 62 miles per hour in a 45 mph zone. Usually, tickets like these are simply paid by the motorist, but this case (Citation and Court case # PET416346; Superior Court of California County of Sonoma Traffic Division) is different: the teenager had an RMT Rover tracking device from Rocky Mountain Tracking, Inc. installed in his car by his step-father and retired sheriff’s lieutenant, Roger Rude. The data gathered by the global positioning device shows that the vehicle was traveling at a drastically different speed than that reported by the police officer. Rude contends that Shaun was driving at the posted speed limit of 45 MPH as recorded by the GPS and some sort of error occurred with the radar enforcement process. The police officer may have pulled his step-son over in lieu of another nearby vehicle that was traveling at the clocked speed of 62 miles per hour. Rude believes that whatever went wrong with the radar process is not as important as the fact revealed by the GPS RMT Rover tracking device that Shaun was traveling at 45 MPH, not the 62 MPH the police officer noted on the citation. This should be sufficient evidence to establish “reasonable doubt” in this case.

The tracking device includes software that determines both the location and the speed of the vehicle, and in this particular case shows that the teen was traveling at the speed limit within 100 feet from the location where he was cited for speeding. The GPS tracking device installed by Rude was intended to monitor the speed of the teenager and decrease his risk of being in an accident caused by unsafe driving habits; however, neither Rude nor his step-son ever expected that it could provide pivotal evidence in his favor, proving that he was, in fact, driving at a safe speed.

Rude and his step-son plan to use the software’s speed log to argue that the police officer’s radar gun inaccurately read the speed of Shaun’s car, or more likely that the officer had tracked the speed of a different vehicle. Their case will hinge on the fact that the GPS data has no room for human error, whereas radar guns operated by police officers do. The fact is that even police officers with the best intentions can sometimes rely upon inaccurate data when writing tickets. Thanks to RM Tracking, motorists can now have the hard, statistical evidence they need to ensure that the outcome of the case is determined by indisputable facts rather than becoming a case of their word versus the radar gun’s reading. The judge will make a ruling in this case sometime in November.

About RM Tracking’s teen tracking device:
The teen tracking device is a GPS device that tracks the location and speed of the vehicle it is placed on, promoting safer, more responsible driving habits. Teenagers particularly have a high incidence of traffic accidents. By ensuring that teenagers are obeying driving laws and using their vehicles responsibly, the GPS device decreases the risk of having an accident. For more information or to purchase a tracking device, visit www.RMTracking.com

[becky]

Dave, thanks for the link. I'll take a quick look at it.

[Dave]

I am very much in favor of teen tracking devices. I think is is a good accountability tool. Check out this site: http://www.rmtracking.com/teentracking.html
I was told they have a good Teen Safety Program for GPS teen tracking.

[becky]

My best friend's son just turned 14 last month. Watching with trepidation. Those years w/my stepdaughter are not so long ago. Oh, how I remember.

[BrandyS]

Becky, my own son is 14 1/2, and I'm painfully aware that he will be reaching permit age sooner than I will be ready. It's a scary thought.