According to the Centers for Disease Control, motor vehicle crashes are responsible for more than one in three teen deaths, the leading cause of death for teens in the U.S.   In 2005, they recorded 12 teens died every day from injuries sustained in an accident.  Teens also have the lowest rate of seat belt use.

While speeding and alcohol are clearly lead factors, as I drive down the highway and streets, I can’t ignore the amount of cell phone use among young drivers.   In fact, more than half of teens reported using cell phones while driving.  Teens love their cell phones and report them essential to their social lives – keeping up with friends and activities.  And what do teens love most about their cell phones?  According to a Harris Interactive Poll, teens love to multitask.  The fact that they can text without looking at the keypad, makes multitasking so much easier, they feel.

Teachers deal with this every day in their classroom, but mixing cell phones and driving can become dangerously or even deadly very quickly.  Talk with your teen and lay clear ground rules for cell phone use.  At the top of the list should be: No talking or texting on a cell phone while driving.  Make sure your teen knows the consequence – If they break the rule: No cellphone and no car.  It’s your teen’s life at stake.

How do you regulate your driving teen’s cell phone use?

Dr. Dave