Teens and 'Tweens
Teenage Driving
By Nancy Omdahl
June/July 2001

As summer gears up, your teens may find more opportunities to ask for the keys to the car - a summer job, summer sports practices, or just a trip to the movies. With the recent attention to Atlanta teen drivers, and deaths, Athens-Clarke County parents may be especially wary of letting their teen drivers on the roads this summer.

Statistics from the Georgia Department of Public Safety show Clarke County had the highest accident rate in the state among 16 and 17-year-olds in 2000-even higher than metro Atlanta counties. Granted, your child's chances of dying in an accident are much greater in Atlanta, specifically Fulton County, but many insurance agents, parents, and public safety officials point to congestion and the presence of the university's large 18 to 22-year-old population as creating an environment more conducive to accidents for inexperienced drivers.

"I don't think our 16 and 17-year-olds are worse drivers than elsewhere," said State Farm insurance agent Rhett Bulter, "but I think when you throw in the university population, it significantly adds to the accident potential."

Athens parent Steve Bell is teaching his son, David, to drive this year. "Just in the last 10 years, the population here is greater and the traffic is heavier," he said. "You can imagine how difficult it is to teach a young driver how to handle a car safely when even mom and dad are doing their best."
Nationwide Insurance agent Larry Cole echoed Bell's concern over the congestion in Athens. "The hard part is that often your kids are out driving home from school activities or work at the same time traffic is the heaviest," he said.

Cole said having your 16-year-old drive is a mixed blessing; you face higher insurance rates and the fear over the possibility of an accident, but you may also look forward to a time when you are no longer the primary chauffeur to and from your child's activities.

"We didn't have nearly all the extra-curricular activities kids do now," Bell said. "For most parents, it's really nice for kids to be able to get themselves there, and often help with getting younger siblings to where they need to go, too."

Bell said as a parent he's also noticed a big increase in non-school activities, such as Little League and other sports leagues such as tennis, competitive cheerleading, and soccer, for which parents are expected to get their kids to practices and games.

Even so, Cole still cautions parents from allowing their teenagers to drive too much. "I know many parents are relieved to not be on call as much when their kids start driving, but I still encourage parents to find ways to reduce their teen's driving for a while."

He also encourages parents to limit the number of kids in the car with their teens driving. Concentration levels drop with the added passengers. He said girls have more fender-benders than boys, but boys' accidents tend to be much more serious. Cole says he believes it's because girls are not as intimidated by peers into the speed factor.

What advice do insurance agents and driving instructors have for parents of teenagers? Know where your kids are going and with whom they are going. "There is a lot of peer pressure out there to do things your sane, bright child would not do if you were in the car. Every time you add a person to the car, the accident rate goes up, because it's an added distraction, especially in this age group," Cole said.

"That goes for passengers, too," said Bell. "We've told both our kids that if they are ever in a car with a group of kids as passengers and you think the driving situation is getting out of control, tell them to stop and let you out and call us and we will come get you."

Educate your children beyond just yourself (see Driving Education Opportunities in Athens). Most insurance agents happily give discounts for driver's education through the schools, a private defensive driving course, and good grades. "Good students statistically have fewer accidents," said Cole.

Butler said he advises parents to send kids in to visit with their family's insurance agent. "My dad was a State Farm agent, too, so it was drilled into me about accidents, and I was scared to death about being in an accident. Most kids don't realize what it means to their parents' insurance rates to have them driving, and I think sitting down with some third party other than mom and dad helps them understand it a little better. I have a short video, and I show on some common mistakes kids make when driving, and we talk about how accidents can affect their parents financially, not to mention the damage a two-ton machine can inflict on other people physically."

Summer may be the best time to take your kids out and practice a little, given that there is less congestion on the roads with the absence of many university students. "At the very least, take your kids out a few times driving," Butler said. "I would love to see more parents spend more time practicing with them during the learner's permit time. You'd be surprised how much you learn riding in the back seat with your 16-year-old." n

Top 3 Mistakes Inexperienced Drivers Make

1. Tailgating. "They don't allow themselves nearly enough space between themselves and the car in front of them," State Farm insurance agent Rhett Butler said. "They don't realize that in heavy traffic you could be driving along behind someone and look down for a split second to change the radio or fiddle with the cell phone, and the person in front of you has come to a dead stop and you're right on top of them."

2. Excessive speed. "They're not necessarily going 90 or 100 miles an hour, but they're not gauging their speed according to the speed limit or to road conditions. I've seen a lot of hydroplaning because they don't slow down," Nationwide Insurance agent Larry Cole said.

3. Jerking the wheel when driving onto the shoulder; not driving straight and slowing down onto the shoulder.

Teen Statistics

  •  In 2000, Clarke County had a 23% higher accident rate among 16 and 17-year-old drivers than Bulloch County (home of Georgia Southern University).
  •  Between 1995 and 2000, Clarke and Oconee Counties have not seen any fatal teen driving accidents. Cobb has had 7 fatalities, and Fulton has had 9.
  •  Of 1,217 Clarke County 16 and 17-year-old drivers, 293 had traffic accidents in 2000.
  •  103 of 821 16 and 17-year-old Oconee County drivers had accidents in 2000.
  •  Clarke County's rate of teen accidents in 2000 (24%) was significantly higher than in Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinett Counties (about 13% each).

Drivers Education Opportunities in Athens

(Most insurance agencies give discounts for driver education and additional discounts for defensive driving courses)

Cedar Shoals High School
Coach Milt Netherly regulary teaches a driving course as an afterschool program. There is a fee, but the course is open to Clarke Central students as well.

Oconee County High School
Coach Stan Fricks also offers an afterschool program, although on a less regular basis.

St. Mary's Hospital, Wellness Center
Defensive Driving Course, $25, six hours over two evenings, offered monthly.

A-1 DUI/Defensive Driving School
Driver's education for teens and adults: 30-hour program, including classroom and behind-the-wheel experience, $369.

Defensive driving course: six-hour class time, six hours behind the wheel. "There are few nonavoidable accidents. The best drivers are defensive drivers who are aware of their own vehicle and the cars around them," said director Jena Bearden.

Jackson Driving Improvement School
Six hours; Wednesday or Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 9:30 for two weeks; $30 for insurance purposes; $60 if in lieu of citation.