Talk to your kids about safe driving

Dear Editor: As teenagers anxiously look forward to high school prom and graduation celebrations, parents are equally excited, but perhaps a little concerned, in hoping students celebrate safely and responsibly. What should be a memorable time for students could easily be remembered for all the wrong reasons; tragic reasons.

In 2005, The Allstate Foundation released, "Chronic: A Report on the State of Teen Driving." This in-depth study found that 74 percent of teens recognize that driving is a serious responsibility, but many of them say they routinely engage in risky behavior. In addition, 21percent say they've ridden in a car driven by a peer who had been drinking.

With all the excitement this time of year, it's easy for young drivers to lose focus on safety when behind the wheel. Additionally, many parents are unsure of what they can do to make sure their teens look out for themselves, their friends and others on the road.

This is why The Allstate Foundation in partnership with the Community Parent Center and the Nassau Pediatric Society joined together to combat teen driving crashes and fatalities in Nassau County. Their "Driving in the Safe Lane" program targets parents and teens to provide them with information needed to reduce the risks new young drivers face. Together, we hope to reach more than a 1,000 parents and teens in Nassau County with lifesaving information. Some of the safety suggestions we offer, among others, include limiting the number of passengers, no cell phone use - even hands-free (and other distractions), eliminating nighttime driving, and ensuring that teen drivers always use seat belts.

No matter how hectic your teen's social calendar is during prom and graduation celebrations, we hope that all parents will take the time to explain to their young drivers that safety should never take a back seat to these special occasions.

Wendy Tepfer

Director, Community Parent Center

Lucy Weinstein, MD, MPH Chair, Injury Prevention Committee

Nassau Pediatric Society

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