Teen Driving: Make Safety Your First Priority Ohio State Highway Patrol Teen Driving: Make Safety Your First Priority

Most at risk group As a teen, you are in the most at-risk age group for being involved in a traffic crash. Motor vehicle crashes involving Ohio teens are preventable. Far too many fatal and serious injury crashes are occurring on Ohio roadways, and many of these crashes involve inexperienced teen drivers.

Always maintain a safe speed Know the current speed limit. Assess current driving conditions and adjust your speed to those conditions. Under certain conditions, the posted limit may be too fast. Allow enough time to reach your destination. If you are running late, call ahead. Do not rush. Check the speedometer. Reduce speed in work and school zones. Be cautious and alert. 

Young drivers speed more than all other age groups In a study of drivers on limited access highways, high-speed drivers were more often male and more often judged to be younger than 30. Studies in California have found that the rate of speeding violations per mile traveled is at least three times as high for drivers 16-19 years old as it is for drivers age 30 and older. Although speeding is a problem among all driver age groups, the crashes and violations of young drivers are much more likely to be related to speed than is the case for drivers of other ages -- and the motor vehicle crash death rate per 100,000 people is especially high among 16-24 year-olds.

Young drivers speed more than all other age groups NHTSA analysis found that the relative proportion of speed-related fatal crashes decreases with increasing driver age. About 37 percent of all drivers age 14-19 involved in fatal crashes nationally were in speed-related crashes, but the percentage among drivers 70 and older decreased to seven percent.

Safety belts save lives Although we think it will never happen to us, traffic crashes are a leading killer of both adults and children. We cannot always prevent our involvement in a crash, but what happens to us during a crash is often within our control, if we buckle our safety belts. Please wear a seat belt and insist that those who travel with you buckle up. It is the easiest thing you can do to protect yourself, your friends and your family.

Don’t drive impaired It cannot be emphasized enough: If you are drinking, do not drive! Choose a designated driver. A designated driver is not someone who is the most sober; it’s someone who did not drink at all! Strictly enforce a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to alcohol and your friends and peers. Give them the guidance they need to deal with peer pressure and to make wise choices. Wear your seatbelt. There is no better defense against drunk drivers.

Avoid distractions Make adjustments to vehicle controls – such as radio, air conditioning, or mirrors – before beginning to drive or after the car is no longer in motion. Don’t reach down or behind the driver’s seat, pick up items from the floor, open the glove compartment, clean the inside windows, or perform personal grooming while driving. If you must use a cell phone:             Don’t use the phone in demanding traffic situations. Pull over in a safe area or make your calls before driving. Use a hands-free model. Never take notes or look up a phone number while driving. Use memory dialing or directory assistance while making calls from the car. Designate a front-seat passenger to serve as “co-pilot” rather than fumble with maps. Keep your eyes on the road, hands on the wheel, and your mind on the drive.

Be a responsible driver Buckle up even when only driving a short distance. Most fatal crashes occur within 25 miles of home. If you wear a seat belt every time you get into a vehicle, you’re more likely to: Get to where you’re going on time. Wearing a seat belt isn’t just a good idea, it’s the law! Prevent disabling injuries and scarring.  Every 15 seconds, someone is injured in a traffic crash. If you’re not buckled up, you could be thrown through a window, sent skidding along the pavement or be crushed under a vehicle in a crash. Live.  Someone is killed in a crash every 13 minutes. However, safety belts can save your life, and they can help you maintain control of your car in a crash. Set the example. Teen deaths occur four times more often in vehicles with two or more people. Children and younger brothers/sisters imitate behavior they see.

Cool it on the road Drive in the appropriate lane and allow enough distance between your vehicle and the one ahead of you. Don’t worry about the behavior of other drivers; concentrate on driving safely. Plan your trips with enough time so that you don’t feel rushed. Don’t drive when angry, upset, or tired.

What to do when confronted by an aggressive driver First and foremost make every attempt to get out of their way. Put your pride in the back seat. Do not challenge them by speeding up or attempting to hold-your-own in your travel lane. Wear your safety belt. It will it hold you in your seat and behind the wheel in case you need to make an abrupt driving maneuver and it will protect you in a crash. Avoid eye contact.

What to do when confronted by an aggressive driver Ignore gestures and refuse to return them. Report aggressive drivers to the appropriate authorities by providing a vehicle description, license number, location, and if possible, direction of travel. If you have a cell phone, and can do it safely, call the Highway Patrol at 1-877-7-PATROL to report aggressive drivers or other potential driving dangers, or to receive non-emergency highway help In the event of an emergency, call 9-1-1. If an aggressive driver is involved in a crash farther down the road, stop a safe distance from the crash scene, wait for law enforcement police to arrive and report the driving behavior that you witnessed.

Maintain your vehicle Make sure your car is in good working condition. Check belts, hoses, tires, and fluids. Prepare for the unexpected. Have a properly inflated spare tire, a cell phone, a first-aid kit, a flashlight, an auto service card, fire extinguisher, water, and blanket. Check doors locking mechanism, windows, car alarm (if your car doesn’t have one, get a club for your steering wheel). If traveling with young children, make sure their child safety seats are in good condition. Inspect for wear and tears, check car seat recall websites, or visit your local fire station for proper installation. For a smooth ride and safe arrival, remember to: Carry enough cash for food and gas. Carry your health insurance cards, medications, and emergency phone numbers. Familiarize yourself with the map, check road and weather conditions, and listen to traffic advisories. Notify relatives and trusted friends of your travel itinerary.

Share the road at crosswalks Take caution when entering the roadway from a private drive. You must yield right-of-way to vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians. When approaching an intersection: Cover the brake. Covering the brake cuts three-fourths of a second off your reaction time to stop. Observe yield signs and yellow lights. Slow down to assess the intersection before deciding to stop or proceed through. Delay acceleration.  When stopped at an intersection, make sure it’s clear before you accelerate. Use the “rule of thirds.”  In the first third of the block, accelerate to a safe and legal speed. In the second third, maintain speed.  In the final third, cover the brake. Reduce speed and yield to pedestrians in work zones and school zones. 

Respect Mother Nature and survive extreme weather Understand that visibility is often impaired; turn on your lights. Be careful of large puddles, they can make your brakes less effective. Keep windshield wipers on and make sure they are in good condition. Use the defroster or air conditioner to cut the condensation on the inside of the windows. Slow down, but keep moving. Don’t stop unless you can get completely off the road. On wet pavement, apply brakes smoothly and evenly to avoid hydroplaning. If you do lose control, take your foot off the gas and do not apply the brakes suddenly. Never drive through flood water more than six inches deep. If you encounter a flooded area, turn around. If your car stalls, abandon it immediately, and climb on higher ground. Antilock brakes are designed to overcome a loss of steering control. To make antilock brakes work correctly, or work at all, you should apply constant, firm pressure to the pedal. Stay farther behind the car in front of you and minimize lane changing.

Teen driving law There are certain restrictions on the operation of motor vehicles by probationary license holders and temporary instruction permit holders who are less than 18 years of age. Under the law, probationary driver license holders under the age of 17 are not permitted to operate a motor vehicle with more than one person who is not a family member in the vehicle, unless accompanied by the license holder’s parent, guardian, or legal custodian. Studies conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety have shown that one passenger doubles the risk of a fatal crash among teen drivers, two passengers triple the risk, and three or more passengers increase the risk by more than six.

GDL provisions you should know Probationary driver license holders between 17 and 18 years of age are restricted from driving between the hours of 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. unless the holder is accompanied by a parent or guardian, with the following exceptions: an emergency situation, driving to or from a school activity, or driving to or from work. Travel to or from work is permitted provided the teen has written documentation from the employer. Probationary license holders under the age of 17 are prohibited from driving between midnight and 6 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent or guardian with the same exceptions as above. This is a change to the previous restriction of 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. Permit holders under the age of 17 are prohibited from driving between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m., unless accompanied by a parent, guardian or legal custodian who holds a valid license. This is a change to the previous restriction of 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. If a probationary driver license holder under the age of 17 is convicted of having committed one moving violation during the first six months of having a driver license, the person must be accompanied by a parent or guardian whenever operating a motor vehicle during the six-month period commencing on the date on which the person is convicted of or pleads guilty to the moving violation or until the person attains the age of 17.

Illegal purchase of alcohol and the use of fake identification While troopers dedicate time to educate teens, they are also committed to high visibility enforcement in an effort to apprehend teens who choose to drive impaired. In addition to an Operating Vehicle Impaired (OVI) charge for those who test .08 percent blood alcohol concentration (BAC) or above, law enforcement officers in Ohio can file charges against any driver under age 21 who has a BAC of .02 percent or greater. A first offense results in a mandatory fine of $250-$1,000 and up to six months in jail. A second offense carries a mandatory fine of $500-$1,000 and up to six months in jail with a possible 60-day license suspension. Teens who commit third and subsequent offenses face a mandatory fine of $500-$1,000, up to six months in jail, a 90-day license suspension with an option of community service, and a license suspension until age 21.

Final Thought Take the initiative and discuss the importance of traffic safety with your friends. This includes driving responsibly and adhering to Ohio’s traffic laws, staying way from alcohol and drugs that lead to impairment and can have even more severe consequences, and always buckling up. You can have a greater impact than adults within in your peer group to affect change. Along with the responsibility of driving, you have the responsibility to make sure your peers act in a responsible and safe manner.

Teen Driving: Make Safety Your First Priority Ohio State Highway Patrol Teen Driving: Make Safety Your First Priority Questions? Comments? Personal Experiences? http://www.statepatrol.ohio.gov