What Price for Privacy?

As an advocate of teen driving safety I rejoiced when GPS devices became available to help parents track their teen drivers’ driving habits. What could be better than to know when your child is driving too fast, or driving after curfew. We know that these behaviors put teen drivers at greater risk so why wouldn’t parents want to know? And if the device reduced their insurance rates so that it was less expensive to have it than not, wouldn’t every parent want this?

After talking to many parents about this issue it seems that there are several reasons that they don’t pursue a GPS tracking device for their child’s car. The most prevalent is that they don’t want to intrude on their child’s privacy. They don’t want to appear not to trust their child and of course they don’t like the whole “big brother” aspect of this technology.

First of all, let me put to rest the “big brother” questions. When you install one of these devices in your child’s car, you are the only one who can view the information generated by the device. It is not a device that lets the insurance companies “spy” on your child. You control all the access to this information.

Now let’s get to the real heart of the matter. You don’t want your child to think you don’t trust them to drive safely. This is your child. She has always been a great kid. He has never given you trouble. I know. I have 3 teenagers. But the truth is that all teen drivers are at risk. The risk is certainly magnified by their inexperience. But they are all at risk as young drivers. If you do trust them completely then I believe you are simply avoiding reality. This may be a bitter pill to swallow so let me give you a similar example.

Let’s say your child is the model student. He studies hard and brings home good grades on tests and homework. Would you then not look at his report card? Would that be telling him you don’t trust him? The only difference here is that we are talking about your child’s very life and safety, not his or her grades. And if your child does screw up and kill or injure herself or someone else, there are no make up exams.

The last point I want to make about the GPS devices is that like report cards, they give your child the chance to show that she is driving safely. And when you see that, you can reward him or her with more freedom and more responsibility.

A GPS tracking device can be misused by a nosey parent or an over controlling one. But used properly, this piece of technology can save lives. If you have considered one in the past, I urge you to reconsider. It might save your child’s life.

"Trunking"- The Latest Danger to Teens!

Just when you thought you've heard it all...

As I was doing my research for this month's issue of my Driver’s Seat e-newsletter, I came across an article about the latest killer of teens.

We all know that car accidents are the number one killer of teens in the US. Now there is a trend going across the country that is adding to the danger of a teen behind the wheel and it's referred to as "Trunking".

As a teen, I remember hearing about kids in school that would climb into a trunk to sneak into a drive-in movie. Of course, I would never partake in such an act. But today, now that the drive-in movie is obsolete, there's another reason why kids are doing this.

Almost every state in the country now has laws limiting the number of passengers during the first few years of a teen driver's experience. These laws were passed to reduce the distractions in the car that have been proven to cause so many accidents. In order to circumvent these laws, kids are now packing themselves in the trunk of the car to be able to go with their friends. The worst part is that they will stay in the trunk while being driven all over town and even beyond.

The dangers are obvious to us and include suffocation, carbon monoxide poisoning, heat exposure, freezing, being crushed or thrown out of the car as a result of an accident. You can just imagine how dangerous this could be for your child.

So what do you do? First explain the dangers and then define the consequences/punishment of this type of action. If your child is guilty, take away driving privileges and inform the parents’ of all the involved kids. You'll also want to pass this article on to other parents, just to let them know what kids are up to these days, so they can proactively counsel against it.

To sign up for a free subscription to my e-newletter, Driver’s Seat, visit my website at www.TeenDriverInsurance.com/Clinard and register for VIP Access. You’ll also be able to learn more about you can best protect your family.