How are you teaching your teens to be safe, responsible drivers?

I teach them by being a good example to them. I practice what I preach.

In cooperstown NY we have started a piliot program for teen driving. We have begun 21st century drivers training with simulators. Also I along with a friend of mine wrote and recorded a song that is dedicated to my friend and his brother Chris Gentile. Chris died in a car accident in 2007 he was a great guy and an all american kid no one ever thought that this could happen. The video and the song helps teens to realize that it can happen to any of us. The video includes pictures of teens that have passed away along with facts about safe teen driving many people have watched it all over the country and have told me that it really touched them please have your teens watch this it may click that there not invinsable and these teens where just like them http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brZPWSRPCdw this is the link on youtube. Lindsay Rowley

On October 14, 2001, our precious 15-year old son, Benjamin, died as a passenger in an illegal drag-racing accident in Stillwater, OK. I was the one who said he could go with his 16-year old friend who had just gotten his license and a fairly nice car. Though it was a Sunday evening and his normal curfew was 9 p.m., I told Ben he could stay out until 11 p.m. because he hadn't seen his friend in awhile. When he wasn't home at 11, I immediately called the hospital because he was good at letting us know where he was. They told me that the Highway Patrol was coming to our house. I knew that it couldn't be good news. They showed up an hour later and said what no parent wants to hear, "I'm sorry, there's been an accident and your son didn't make it." Ironically, he was killed at 9:34 p.m. If I'd kept his original curfew, he might still be alive. Ben's friend accepted a challenge to race on a gravel road where Ben knew he shouldn't be. His friend lost control, hit a tree...Ben was killed instantly...at least I hope so. Since then, we have tried to warn kids about the responsibility of driving through community presentations and scholarships. On August 11, 2005, we were honored to be invited guests of its author Rep. Danny Morgan (D, Prague) and Gov. Brad Henry as he signed into law the Oklahoma Graduated License Bill (HB 1653), which we affectionately know as "Ben's Law." I'm happy to see that Reader's Digest has given it a rating of 10. But we would give up any acclaim any of this might have gotten us, just to have seen Ben graduate in 2004, stand in a tux at his sister's wedding in 2006, and graduate college in 2008. We have a hole in our heart that will never heal. Please parents, make your kids accountable for how they drive and who they go with as passengers. Spend all the time you can making sure they know the rules and how to handle driving situations. It will be well spent. Evelyn, mother to Benjamin--my Beautiful, Brown-eyed Baby, Forever 15

I loved the article, however legislation is not the answer. You can't legislate a teenage kid's hormones - you need to modify their behavior. Let's face it - teenagers, especially boys, love to drive fast. I'm not a kid anymore and I still love it - but I've taken Defensive Driver training and I have become conditioned that speed kills. Driving is just another type of behavior and habits can be changed. Most people treat driving a car as if it's distracting from their real activity (texting, talking on the phone, eating etc). It is not a spectator sport, and most drivers - even good ones-can benefit from driver improvement training. For a great resource go to www.collisionavoidancetechniques.com. and sign your teenage drivers and yourselves up for an online Defensive Driving course. This happens to be my site, but there are hundreds of others out there as well. The information is priceless and it could save your life. Oh yeah - it will save you money on your insurance in New Jersey and the 20 other states have a mandated Insurance discount,