Practical tips for parents of teen drivers from someone who knows

Tragedies involving distracted driving are becoming all too familiar. Hearing firsthand about how a careless act can ruin lives can be shocking, but as I was recently reminded, learning what can be done to prevent such accidents can be inspiring.

As part of a Connecticut Safe Kids conference and my own ongoing child-passenger safety training, I recently had the pleasure of hearing a presentation given by Tim Hollister. Tim is an attorney who lives in the Hartford area and who has become a well-known advocate for teen-driver laws and best practices following the loss of his son Reid in a vehicle crash on December 2, 2006. (Tim publishes a safety-related blog called From Reid's Dad.)

This week marks the sixth anniversary of Reid's death. And thanks in part to the work of people like Reid's Dad, the past six years have seen big changes in teen driver laws. Many states now have some level of graduated licensing (GDL) for new drivers. Provisions of such laws address most of the key concerns associated with young drivers, including their lack of experience and good driving judgment, the risks associated with added passengers, their propensity to engage in risky behaviors such as texting or cell phone use, and the added risks of driving at night.

But it wasn't the graduated licensing portion of Mr. Hollister's presentation that I found most valuable, but rather two pieces of practical tips for parents.

Teen safety tips
Air traffic control: If you're the parent of a teen driver, treat your child's trips somewhat like an air traffic controller. Much like a pilot would have to file a flight plan and consider key items before "taking off," your driving teen should do the same.

Items to include in their "flight plan":