The AAUI President says it’s time for parents to be held responsible for underage driving.
Many surveys have revealed that 16-year-olds have higher crash rates than drivers of any other age group. The menace of underage drivers causing accidents is on the rise everyday. It’s now time for parents to be punished for the crime of allowing their underage teens to become killers behind the wheel.
Teenagers have a dream to get a hold of the car keys in order to show-off to their peers by taking to the road without having undergone any driver training and without even being the legal age to acquire a valid driver’s licence. With 16 and 17-year ‘young’ drivers, the fatality rate with each additional passenger in the car is likely to increase. Cross sectional surveys conducted among 301 boys from 8 schools in Kerala, using multistage random sampling, revealed that 81.4% of students below 18 years of age engage in driving at least a few times – and 30% drive frequently! Unfortunately, many die premature deaths as they’re yet to realize the values of life.
Parents have an important role to play to make sure that their teens do not indulge in driving, unless they are of the eligible age and have undergone proper training from a recognised driving training school. Parents have to set an example themselves, as behaviour is learned – it’s not innate. It’s unreasonable to expect our child to behave differently than we do when driving or caring for our vehicle. Do not part with your vehicle unless you are absolutely clear about the legal consequences and possible mishaps that may occur out of such favours.
Be positive and emphasise the family’s concern for your child’s safety and welfare. Explain your hopes for your child’s future and expectations concerning responsible behaviour. Your teen must be made to understand – love and affection apart – that driving is a privilege and a reward for responsible behaviour. Conservation of family resources is an important need, which a teen has to understand. Let your teen know that together you and he or she will jointly adhere to ensuring compliance with maintenance requirements, checking the fuel level and mileage before and after using the car, and ensuring that alcohol will not be consumed before or while driving the car. And, in this day and age, ensure that your teen knows the risk involved with texting and driving. Kids and young adults, today, can’t seem to go even a few minutes without their digital devices – so take the time to explain the perils of taking your attention off the road.
Be consistent. Punish each infraction the same way, each time it occurs. Both parents must provide a united front on issues. Do not allow yourselves to be divided and conquered. Your credibility and the power of the agreement will be weakened if you are not consistent in your enforcement and application of consequences. Be fair to get all the facts before you take action. Strengthen the concept of a Parent-and-Teen Car Use Agreement by motivating your family friends – so that your teen does not feel that he or she is singled out as an exception.
Be careful not to allow exceptions too frequently, otherwise your exceptions become rules and your agreement loses its power.
Lastly, be forgiving. Your love must be unconditional. The agreement involves withholding privileges, not withholding love.
T.K. Malhotra is the President of the Automobile Association of Upper India (AAUI).
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