Teen driver safety tips for prom and graduation season

April, 每年的5月和6月是高中生们通过参加毕业舞会和毕业派对来庆祝的时候. As these times of celebration near, 这是一个很好的机会，让家庭在他们的青少年司机开车时就安全问题进行讨论.

车祸仍然是青少年死亡的主要原因. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety在美国，青少年司机的撞车率几乎是20岁或以上司机的4倍. In addition, the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control 车祸伤害是13至19岁青少年死亡的主要原因之一.

The Spring season, historically, has brought in Distracted Driving Awareness and Global Youth Traffic Safety months. 每年的这个时候为家庭提供了一个很好的机会来讨论以下在道路上安全的提示.

Parents

• Connect with other parents. 直接和任何监督你的孩子参加派对的父母谈谈，因为有些父母可能会允许未成年人喝酒.
• Talk about (not) drinking/doing drugs. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), many kids turn to their parents for guidance on drinking. Talk to your teen about dealing with peer pressure, 未成年人酒后驾车的危险/后果, using illegal substances, 在涉及毒品和酒精的情况下联系你.
• Offer options for rides. 如果一群人坚持一起去参加舞会和无数的毕业派对, talk to other parents about hiring a limo. That way no one gets behind the wheel. If it's not in the budget, offer to drive them yourself, 或者研究一下你所在社区的其他公共交通选择.
• Have the party come to you. Plan your own, adult-supervised, drug/alcohol free after-party at your house, school or local community center.
• Set the example. You can't always be in the car, 但你可以通过示范和强制习惯，比如系安全带，把安全放在首位, not using a cell phone while driving, 遵守速度限制，开车时眼睛盯着路面, 2 hands on the wheel.

Teens

• Be a safe passenger. Passenger distractions are dangerous for new drivers. Be sure to respect the driver by not talking loudly, chatting on a cell phone, playing loud music, or acting disruptively. Distracted driving is a major cause of crashes, 而乘客的分心对新司机来说尤其危险.
• Groom before you zoom. Before it's time to go, 最后看一眼镜子，确保你看起来很好，这样你开车的时候就不会分心了.
• Get your beauty rest. Since many parties last until early morning, 在重要的日子到来之前，确保你有充足的睡眠, 或者让你的父母来接你，这样你和你的朋友就不用开车累了. 涉及青少年的致命车祸在夜间明显更多.
• Set limits. Put a limit on the number of friends you ride with. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)研究表明，车辆中有乘客会增加发生事故和撞车的风险. 超过一半的青少年乘客死亡是由青少年司机造成的.
• Don't Drink/Do Drugs and Drive. Drinking before the age of 21 is illegal, 无论你的年龄多大，酒精和驾驶都不应该混为一谈. 这也适用于使用毒品和其他非法物质.
• Seatbelts are the perfect accessory. 你的礼服、燕尾服或毕业礼服上的一个小皱纹几乎不值得你不系上安全带. Buckling your seatbelt 能救你的命，让你免受重伤吗. Plus, it's the law!

Find these tips and more on the State Farm^® teen driver safety Page，并且总是鼓励你的孩子在开车时做出积极的选择.