Right now, we’re in the middle of the “100 Deadliest Days” for teenagers here in Indiana and Illinois. Statistically, more teens perish in fatal motor vehicle accidents during the time period between Memorial Day and Labor Day than any other time of the year. For details, read our discussion in “Teen Driver Accidents in the Summer: the 100 Deadliest Days for Fatal Teen Car Crashes.”
According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, three behaviors contribute to a majority of fatal teen driver accidents: (1) speeding (28%); (2) driving under the influence of alcohol (17%); and (3) driver distraction (9%). Of course, there are other contributing factors in a deadly teen driver crash, such as failure to use a safety belt and mistakes made because of the driver’s lack of experience behind the wheel.
Especially during this summer’s “deadliest days,” parents must be vigilant in their oversight of their children as they take the wheel and drive the roads of Indiana and Illinois. Today, in addition to driver’s education courses and parental supervision, parents have other options. Products they can purchase and use to try and keep teen drivers safe while driving.
Specifically, car manufacturers and software developers are offering products that purport to help in protecting teen drivers, their occupants, and those sharing the roads with them, from a serious or fatal crash. These are collectively dubbed “teen specific driver safety technology,” with new products becoming available all the time.
Teen Driver Safety Technology Advances
Products promoted to help keep teen drivers safe from a fatal car crash include both new technology installed on their vehicle as well as apps for their phone.
However, automobile manufacturers are now promoting specific teen driver features and technology that can be purchased with their newer models, designed to help keep teen drivers safe. These include:
1. The Chevrolet New “Teen Driver Package”
Chevrolet describes its safety product package as “…available built-in system that helps you coach your new driver — even when you’re not there. It lets you set a speed alert, a volume limit and more — and with the industry’s first and only in-vehicle report card, it’s easy to track your teen’s driving performance.”
Chevy’s teen driver safety technology works through a designated key, registered to the teen driver. Use of this key will activate the vehicle’s “MyLink” technology, and the new Teen Driver Package.
The Teen Driving Package is offered on most Chevy models (e.g., Cruze, Malibu, Volt, Bolt, Camero, Equinox, Traverse, Suburban, Tahoe, Colorado, and Silverado).
Specifically, this teen driver safety product from Chevrolet is able to do the following:
- Make sure the teen driver is using their safety belt with what Chevrolet deems its “industry-first Buckle to Drive” feature. Here, the driver must buckle their seat belt in order to avoid trying to shift the car out of park: the technology will block the driver’s ability to shift for 20 seconds, while both visual and audible alerts remind the driver to buckle up;
- Mute the music (audio speakers) until the occupants of the front seat (driver and passenger) are buckled up;
- Control the temptation to speed, by defining the speed limit the teen driver should drive with both audible and visual warnings automatically activated when the teen exceeds that preselected speed limit;
- Establish the maximum speed the teen driver is able to drive the car to 85 mph;
- Set limits on how loud the music (audio) can be in the vehicle, with preset limits on the volume control while the teen is driving; and
- Compile an “in-vehicle report card” that automatically analyzes the teen driver’s driving, promoted by Chevy as giving the parent “… information about your teen’s driving so you can identify potential problem areas and coach your new driver on improvements.”
2. Ford’s “My Key” Option for Teen Driver Safety
Ford’s safety technology is advertised as being not only for teen drivers but for any driver “to reinforce better driving habits.” Like Chevy’s technology, it works through a registered, designated key which activates the technology. All but one key to the vehicle can be registered with the MyKey program.
Default in Ford’s My Key Safety Technology
Some protections are automatic and cannot be altered. These default Ford teen driver safety settings are:
- The safety belt reminder light will activate and the speakers will mute until the driver and front seat passenger have buckled up;
- The warning to refuel will activate sooner for the teen driver;
- Satellite radio will block access to adult content; and
- If the vehicle has any driver assist features, they will automatically activate (such as Ford’s Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) with Cross Traffic Alert).
Configured Settings in Ford’s My Key Safety Technology
Other protections are programmable. These configurable settings in the Ford teen driver safety technology are:
- Set a maximum speed the teen driver can drive the vehicle; when the teen driver reaches that speed, there will be warnings (visual and audible) and the vehicle will not respond to the teen driver either pressing down on the gas pedal or setting cruise control to try and bypass the set maximum speed;
- Additional “vehicle speed minders” can be programmed, so there are audible tones to warn the teen driver the vehicle is exceeding this speed limit;
- The speakers can be set to maximum volume of 45%, and if the teen driver tries to make the music louder, there will be a warning in the display as well as a disabling of speed-sensitive or speed-compensated automatic volume control; and
- The teen driver can be blocked from switching off options such as Ford’s (1) traction control; (2) Emergency Assist; and (3) Do Not Disturb features.
Teen Driver Accidents and Seeking Justice after a Deadly Teen Driving Crash
Any attempt to prevent the death or serious injury of a teenager on Indiana or Illinois roads must be encouraged, and these new technologies are focused upon the right thing: keeping teen drivers, their occupants, and others on the road safe from harm.
However, it’s important to note that these are optional features offered by the car makers. Parents must decide to spend the extra cash to have them placed in their teen’s vehicle. While teen safety is obviously valued, many parents will not have the financial wherewithal to purchase these extra options.
Also, these are products offered in an industry notorious for product recalls. Will these products work flawlessly? What happens if they don’t – what if the teen driver crashes because of a glitch in the speed controls, for example? New technology must come with the caveat that it may well bring its own set of dangers.
For anyone who is involved in a teen driver accident or has a loved one who has been seriously injured or killed in a teen driving crash, knowing that the vehicle involved had this safety technology installed can be important. Investigations into the accident must determine if the safety technology was a contributing factor in the crash. Reports generated by these safety technology features may also be important in learning the events leading up to the time of the incident (i.e., its “report card” may be vital evidence).
For more on teen driving accidents, read:
- Teen Driver Accidents: Causes and Consequences
- Teen Drivers and Fatal Car Accidents: High Risk in Indiana and Illinois
- Teen Drivers Legally Licensed and Still Dying Behind the Wheel – Car Crashes Number One Cause of Teen Deaths (14 – 18 Year Olds)
Teen drivers face an increased risk of injury or death on the roads this summer. Please be careful out there!
