Don’t take being a new driver lightly
Teens getting behind the wheel this summer should take the opportunity to form good habits
It is that time of year when thousands of teenagers across the province are exercising their new-found freedom. They have just completed their schooling for the year or have graduated. And they are getting behind the wheel and looking to establish their independence.
Becoming a new driver is not something that should be taken lightly because it has the potential to impact everyone who occupies the road. To their credit, many parents will pro-actively engage their teens in a frank conversation about safety and the responsibilities that come with driving.
According to ICBC data from 2015, young drivers (age 16-21) make up seven per cent of British Columbia’s driving population, but were involved in more than 11 per cent of all crashes.
Anyone is prone to making a mistake but making a mistake due to carelessness, lack of attention and/or distracted or aggressive driving when behind the wheel can have drastic consequences. In this province between 2011 to 2015, there were 148 youth-related fatalities and 36,000 injuries — with distracted driving being the number one factor. Speeding and impaired driving were the second and third contributing factors.
Under the graduated licence program, it’s illegal to use any electronic device even if it’s hands-free. The penalty for a first offence is a $543 ticket — so the best advice for drivers is to put their smartphones in “Do Not Disturb while driving” mode or download a distracted driving app.
Many people associate distracted driving specifically with cell phone use, but distracted driving can also be the result of a driver momentarily losing focus because of any electronic device, changing the music or having a vehicle full of loud friends who take the attention of the driver from his or her priority — the road in front of them.
There’s also a reason why Class 7 (“N” or novice drivers) licence holders have passenger restrictions. A car full of teenagers and loud music can distract even the most responsible driver. Remind your teen to be a good passenger and enforce the one passenger limit with your young driver.
ICBC’s graduated licence program is designed to help teens become safe, confident, and cautious drivers. Before receiving a full Class 5 licence, teens are required to follow graduated licence-restrictions, but parents should reinforce these regulations and penalties with their teen.
There are also many parents who establish rules when it comes to teen driving, including the establishment of a curfew — as well as laying down the law about drinking alcohol or any kind of drug consumption before taking the wheel.
Teens may take a dim view of installing a dash-mounted camera, but the devices are becoming increasingly important to record accidents. They can also serve as a useful learning tool and cause a driver to pay even greater attention to driving habits, which can only be positive.
The summer provides a good opportunity for parents to teach defensive driving skills and give their teens some constructive feedback, including any early signs of bad habits, such as speeding, failure to shoulder check or not coming to a complete stop when entering a four way stop or encountering a stop sign.
Getting the keys to a vehicle is an exciting time for parents and teenagers alike. It’s also the first step of many steps in becoming a responsible driver — and it all starts with building positive driving habits from the moment a teen climbs behind the wheel.