Optimizing Parent-Teen Supervised Drives to Reduce Teen Crash Risk

Teen drivers pose the greatest risk for motor vehicle crashes compared to any other age group. Motor vehicle crashes continue to be a leading cause of teen death, and crash risk for recently licensed teens is significantly higher than for other age groups. Reducing the risk of teen driver crashes requires many countermeasures, including better preparing teens for driving before licensure. Previous studies have demonstrated parents' positive influence on teen driving behavior, from a higher likelihood of wearing their seatbelts to a lower instance of driving distracted or under the influence. Studies have also shown that teens who receive experience driving in various conditions (i.e., different road types, varying weather, new routes, etc.) during the permitting phase are safer drivers when licensed and driving independently. More information is needed to demonstrate how to best prepare parents to optimize time spent behind the wheel with their teen drivers, and how best to ensure this time is completed. Some states require a signed driving log to be submitted with the license application, while others simply require the parent to sign an affidavit stating the driving hours were completed. For the purpose of this project, "parent" includes guardians and other caregivers. The objective of this research is to provide actionable information to help states optimize parent-teen supervised driving to ensure it creates safer teen drivers and reduces the crash risk for this vulnerable age group. The desired outcome will be to provide states (and ultimately, parents) with resources to help ensure that parent-teen supervised driving delivers on its intended goal.

• Record URL:
  http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=5571
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Contract to a Performing Organization has not yet been awarded.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $400000
• Contract Numbers:

  Project BTS-33

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Behavioral Traffic Safety Cooperative Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  Governors Highway Safety Association

  444 N. Capitol Street, NW, Suite 722
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, D.C.  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Retting, Richard

• Start Date: 20240701
• Expected Completion Date: 20270630
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Driver education; Parents; Supervision; Teenage drivers; Traffic safety
• Subject Areas: Education and Training; Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01886954
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project BTS-33
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: Jul 4 2023 1:07PM