Inexperience
and Distractions

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For adults, driving is second nature. The stop at the bottom of the hill. The easy turn into the driveway. The familiar route to the mall. But for teens, nearly all of the driving experience is new. And new things take time, attention and brain power to learn.

The brain has to be trained to drive. And as the teen brain is learning to drive, it is particularly open to distraction and overreaction.

How Distractions and Overreaction Put Teens at Greater Risk

Because the teen brain is so preoccupied with basic driving tasks, distractions can cause teen drivers to lose focus and make mistakes. Common teen driving distractions include:

• Passengers
• Radios and music players
• Cell phone conversations
• Text messaging
• Objects or activity on the side of the road

That's why it's important for parents to coach teens about distractions and provide rules and guidance to help them focus on their driving.

Inexperience can also cause teens to overreact to certain driving situations. Teen drivers are more likely to:

• Swerve into other lanes
• Brake too hard, resulting in fishtailing on slick pavement
• Run off the road
• Get rear-ended by another vehicle
• Cut off other drivers

Help your teen anticipate and mentally rehearse driving situations. And make them aware of the risks of overreaction.

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