Jul 25, 2009 2:00 pm US/Eastern
Auto Makers Helping Parents Keep Teen Drivers Safe
Car Accidents Leading Cause Of Teen Deaths In U.S., 60 Percent Involve Alcohol Use, But Technology Is Here To Help
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
Auto accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers, which is why it's often a scary moment for parents when their son or daughter obtains a driver's license.
But now, there are new tools to help parents control the way their teenagers drive. And as CBS station WCBS-TV found out, parents don't even have to be in the car.
Jeanne Salvatore, the senior VP of Public Affairs for the Insurance Information Institute, believes there are numerous reasons why teenagers can be a hazard behind the wheel.
"They are young and a little immature in figuring out that they can't live forever," Salvatore said. "You throw in texting or a cell phone, and that's a very, very deadly combination."
But a number of new technologies meant to help keep teens safe from many common, driving dangers, are becoming available for purchase.
Salvatore said new software from several GPS manufacturers allows parents to track where a teen is driving, as well as notifies them if the vehicle is speeding.
"A vast majority of the really serious accidents happen when teenagers are driving at night," Salvatore said.
Of all teen car accidents, 60 percent involve alcohol. Many vehicle manufacturers are offering built-in alcohol detectors in newer models. Drivers have to breathe into the device each time they sit down behind the wheel, and if any alcohol is detected the car fails to start.
One other option is available from Ford, and is called the MyKey. Ford's product news manager, Lisa Flemming-Brock, explained the MyKey allows parents to control important systems of the car through a programmable key.
"The parent actually programs the MyKey," Flemming-Brock said. "It limits the top speed, it limits the volume on the radio, etc."
The MyKey also can mute a vehicle's stereo system if one of its passengers is not wearing a seatbelt. This allows the car's built-in seatbelt alarm to be heard.
"[MyKey] will also make it so that you can't turn off any of the car's safety features, such as stability control, collision warning and blind spot monitoring," Flemming-Brock said.
Safety experts have also recommended that parents create a contract between themselves and their teen driver, outlining safety expectations and the responsibilities of operating a car.
For more ways to keep your teens safe behind the wheel, please click here and here.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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