Last week was Teen Driver Safety Week. That might not be a thing that gets much attention in some states, but, for the past four years, Kentucky has led the nation in teenage driving deaths per capita.
One reason is that teens are not being taught to use seatbelts. Sixty-three percent of fatal teen crash victims in Kentucky were not wearing seat belts. I suspect teens learn this behavior from their parents and grandparents, who simply must set better examples.
Another reason for this high death rate: Many crashes are linked to distracted driving, like cellphone use and other passengers. Then, there's speeding, inclement weather and driving at night, all of which are risk factors for inexperienced drivers.
If you only hear one thing in this editorial, please hear this: Parents need to be deeply involved when they give the keys of a 4,500-pound missile to the owner of an inexperienced, immature brain. Parents must be confident that they've set good examples, that they have road tested their kids and that they have pounded in the importance of defensive driving.
Driving represents freedom for everyone, especially for new drivers, but young minds don't always handle that freedom responsibly. Nothing can help them more than diligent parenting.
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I'm Bill Lamb, and that's my Point of View.
