Dept of Health Behavior & Administration Driver Education Instructors, Parents, & GDL: Effective Strategies for Communicating with Parents Jessica Hartos, PhD Dept of Health Behavior & Administration UNC Charlotte

Parents of Teen Drivers Ambivalent about teen driving Underestimate driving risks Don’t understand harm reduction Favor GDL restrictions Difficult to reach Vary in level of involvement Susceptible to persuasion

Would you want information on any of the following?

Would you want information on any of the following?

The Parent Role in Teen Driving Content Parents need to: Know MT GDL laws Supervise teen driving Set family driving guidelines and rules Impose consequences for violations Doing so wil ensure that you know what is going on Messages Parents, driver education instructors and the state are in this together Parents are needed to support driver education and state policies Supervise your teen’s driving so you know how s/he is progressing Enforce policies that are set up to increase teen driver safety

Step 1 : Know MT’s GDL Laws Content Instruction Permit 50 hrs supervised driving Provisional License Restrictions on highest risk teen driving Full License 1 yr violation free or age 18 Messages Know what the MT GDL laws say and DON’T SAY Parents are responsible for following laws “We” will help guide you through the process

Step 2 : Supervise Teen Driving Content Parents are needed to supervise teen driving Use the following guidelines for supervising teen driving: Who, what, when, where, & why Tips for trips Use a driving log Messages Driver education is just the beginning Parents should know how their teens drive Families can ensure 50 hrs of skills practice by WRITING IT DOWN

Step 3 : Set Family Driving Guidelines and Rules Content Require teens to follow safe driving behaviors Restrict driving under high risk conditions At night With teen passengers At high speeds Increase privileges as teens gain more driving experience and show safe and responsible behavior Messages MT rules and guidelines are general, families should set other rules and guidelines specific to their situations Don’t assume teens drive safe, REQUIRE them to drive safe Determine and make clear the guidelines and rules for driving BEFORE teens drive independently

Step 4 : Impose Consequences for Violations Content Determine consequences for “common violations” Consequences should always follow violations Make consequences relate to losing driving privileges Messages Know where your teen is and what s/he is doing Youth that know the consequences of actions are less likely to take chances Send the message to your teen that you will be a safe driver or you will not drive

Take Home Messages ALL TEENS are at risk because they LACK DRIVING EXPERIENCE GDL is an attempt to get everyone involved Make state, driver education, and parents work together Change the “culture” of teen driving The ultimate goal is to reduce teen injury and death

Foundation: Work WITH Parents Establish an atmosphere of trust and cooperation Introduce yourself / exchange contact information Conduct a parent survey Develop clear policies and practices Communicate expectations for students / parents Inform parents about “stuff” in a timely manner Respect parents and communicate that respect Be aware of / sensitive to values, attitudes, manners and views Check your tone, word choice, facial expressions, body language Avoid being judgmental / give parents the benefit of the doubt Communicate with parents regularly Communicate effectively e.g., language barrier, have materials or conversations translated LISTEN and respond

THANK YOU!