Driving a motor vehicle in the United States is the single most dangerous activity that we participate in on a daily basis. Every time we get into a motor vehicle there is the potential of being killed or maimed. A son, a daughter, a parent or a friend could be killed in a split second, because they took their eyes off the road, or took a chance, or didn't have the experience to handle an unexpected driving event.

If a vehicle drifts just five to six feet, it could result in a head-on collision; over 40,000 people die yearly in motor vehicle crashes! Many of these are young people.

“Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of teen fatalities in America. Based on miles driven, teenagers are involved in three times as many fatal crashes as all other drivers. Specific behaviors are associated with the cause of this high fatality rate. Inexperience and immaturity combine with speed, alcohol-related driving, not wearing safety belts, distracted driving (cell phone use, loud music, other teen passengers, etc.), drowsy driving, nighttime driving, and other drug use to contribute to this high percentage of preventable deaths. NHTSA and many other government, business, and community organizations are working to reduce this number.” –NHTSA

With the above being said, teen drivers need as much guidance as we can give them to extend their future survivability as licensed drivers. Beginning drivers need many hours of supervised behind-the-wheel (BTW) home practice, as well as a good driver education course.

Most driver education courses consist of 30 hours of classroom and 6-10 hours of on-road instruction. Is this enough? No it is not, because a person's life is on the line. Most safety experts recommend a minimum of 50 hours of supervised home practice. It is important that new drivers get proper instruction as well as extensive home practice. A new driver can never be prepared enough!

As a parent, you will become the Driver Ed teacher’s aide. What you teach should agree with what your son or daugher has learned, otherwise it becomes confusing for your teenager. Try not to teach bad habits or shortcuts because these techniques could cause your teenager’s death later. To help you, we have a map with state links to various Parent Handbook Guides. If your state doesn’t have a guide or you don’t like your state’s guide, check the other state guides and be sure to print out the New Driver Checklist for Parents and the Parents’ First Drive Tips.

–From the Editors DriverEducation.com