NOTES FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS
Eyes on the road
Teens tend to look
away from the road and
become distracted for
longer periods than older
drivers. It’s important to
train them to keep their
eyes on the road ahead.
While parked, test your
teen on how long they
look away when doing
various tasks inside the
vehicle, such as adjusting
the temperature. Coach
them repeatedly on the
importance of focusing
on the road ahead.
Distracted driving and more
Distracted driving involves any activity that takes the driver’s attention away from the primary task
of driving. Distracted driving, impairment, speeding, and not wearing seat belts are all risky choices
that can lead to serious injury and death. Teens, who are still learning the complex skills of driving,
are particularly susceptible to distractions while behind the wheel. Don’t let you or your teen become
another statistic. Here are the facts:
• Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens. Mile for mile, teens ages 16-19
are involved in 3 times as many fatal crashes as all other drivers. And 1 in 3 teens who text say they
have done so while driving.
• According to NHTSA, 3,142 people were killed in 2020 in distraction-related crashes nationwide,
with teens having the highest rate of distracted driving crashes involving a fatality.
• A Virginia Tech Transportation Institute study revealed that physically dialing a phone while driving
increases the risk of a crash as much as 6 times. Texting is riskier still, increasing collision risk by 23 times.
There are three kinds of distractions:
• Visual – doing something that requires the driver to look away from the driving task.
• Manual – doing something that requires the driver to take one or both hands off the wheel.
• Cognitive – doing something that causes the driver’s mind to wander or focus elsewhere.
To combat this growing epidemic, we suggest the following:
• Set a good example: Kids observe and learn from their parents. Put your phone away while driving
and only use it when you are safely pulled over. According to the Pew Research Center, 40 percent of
teens aged 12 to 17 say they have been in a car when the driver used a cell phone in a way that put
themselves and others in danger.
• Follow the law: Hand-held cell phone use, texting, messaging or accessing the internet while driving
are illegal activities in Nevada.
• Talk to your teen: Discuss the risks and responsibilities of driving and the danger of dividing their
attention between a phone call and the road. Show them the statistics related to distracted driving
and urge them to share what they learn with their friends. Encourage them to speak up if they are a
passenger in a car with a distracted driver.
• Establish ground rules: Set up family rules about not using the phone or other electronic devices
while behind the wheel. Enforce the limits set by the graduated licensing program.
• Sign a pledge: Have your teen take action by agreeing to a family contract about wearing seat belts,
not speeding, not driving after drinking, and not using a cell phone behind the wheel. Agree on
penalties for violating the pledge, including paying for tickets or loss of driving privileges.
• Other dangerous distractions: In addition to cell phone use, distracted driving can include eating,
grooming, drinking, listening to or adjusting the radio or MP3 player, using the GPS, talking to
passengers, or watching a video, just to name a few activities. Inexperienced drivers are particularly
susceptible to these kinds of distractions.
Drugged driving
• As more and more states legalize marijuana, it’s important to remember that it’s illegal for everyone
under 21. And just because it’s legal doesn’t mean it’s safe. Laws for operating under the inuence
of alcohol also apply to drugs. Almost any drug can affect your driving skills, including illegal drugs,
prescription medicine, and even over-the-counter medicine. Smoking or ingesting marijuana makes it
more difcult to respond to sights and sounds. This makes you dangerous as a driver; it lowers your
ability to handle a quick series of tasks. The most serious problems occur when facing an unexpected
event, such as a car coming out from a side street or a child running out between parked cars. These
challenges get worse after dark, because marijuana can also limit night vision.
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