Hands off the Phone.
Eyes on the Road.

Crashes for teen drivers increase significantly during the summer months, and most of those involve distractions behind the wheel.  With school out, the summer months have more teen drivers on the roads. And, when combined with other factors, this can be lethal:

• 94% of teens know they shouldn’t text and drive, but 35% say they do it anyway
• Most teens believe they can multi-task, but the teenage brain is not fully developed and is only programmed to do one thing at time.
• Nearly 60% of all teen crashes involve distractions behind the wheel
• Talking or attending to other passengers in the vehicle is also a top cause of crashes.

Parents need to have frequent conversations about the dangers of distracted driving, establish and enforce family rules, and teach by example whenever you’re in the car together. 

For more information on how to help your teen become a safe and responsible driver, visit  knowtherisks.teendriving.aaa.org. You’ll find plenty of tips, interactive features, information on insurance and state regulations, and even a parent-teen driving agreement to ensure your new driver stays safe on the road.

"Drivers spend more than half their time focused on things other than driving" — AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

Everyday, motorists who read or send a text while driving take their eyes off the road for up to 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that's like driving the entire length of a football field with your eyes shut. 

Texting - along with other activities like phone calls, eating, drinking, setting your GPS or working your car's entertainment system - takes your mind and your eyes off the road.