Teens View of their Parent’s Distracted Driving

Teen drivers follow the example they think their parents set when it comes to distracted driving.

What distracted driving does your teen see you doing?

The adage of “Do as I say and not as I do” needs to be changed to “Do as I actually do and not as you think I do” when it comes to teens views of their parent’s distracted driving habits. Per research results teens think that parents have worse distracted driving habits than they actually do, and they use this misconception to justify their own bad distracted driving habits.

What Qualifies as Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is anything that takes your focus off the road. It can include:

• Texting
• Eating
• Changing music
• Talking on a cellphone
• Looking for something
• Dealing with passengers
• Putting on makeup

The Distracted Driving Teens Think They See

A research study done by the University of Michigan and Toyota found “Overall, teens think that their parents engage in distracted driving behaviors more often than may be the case, which may allow them to justify certain high-risk behaviors behind the wheel.” (Ray Bingham, a research professor on this study).

When teens were asked the rates at which they see their parents engage in distracted driving, they all reported percentages higher than what their parents reported doing. They believed that their parents used music devices 32% of the time they were driving, dealt with directions 71% and dealt with passenger issues 85%.

How a Teens Perception Affects Their Distracted Driving Habits

Even though parents disputed the percentages that teens reported seeing their parents engage in distracted driving, teens still felt justified in engaging in distracted driving themselves. They believe that if it is okay for their parents to do it (regardless if they do or not) that it is okay for them to do it.

The study found that teens that think their parents engage in distracted driving, like eating or drinking are 3.4 times more likely to do so than those that don’t think that their parents do. This justification may have something to do with the mentality of a teen that wants to engage in this behavior anyways and are looking for an excuse to be able to do so. Because teens who had parents that actually engage in eating or drinking were only 2.2 times more likely to engage in that behavior.

What Parents Need to Do About Distracted Driving

Parents need to be aware that their older children and teens are always watching them. They take their cues on how to get through life from their parents and if their parents do it, then it must be okay for them to do it. So parents need to be very conscious of the distracted driving they engage in.

One incentive that parents need to consider is the financial ramifications of distracted driving. If their teen gets into an accident or gets a ticket for distracted driving, their insurance premium is going to skyrocket higher than it already is.