Teen Driving

Teen Driving: Why Parents Should Be Concerned

GPS Trackers For Teens

“You can observe a lot by just watching.”—Y. Berra

teen-driver with parentOne of the most important moments in a young adult’s life is when they turn that golden age of 16 and can finally obtain the freedom that is associated with receiving a driver’s license. As exciting of a moment this may be for the teenager, the moment is bittersweet for the parent(s) because they are well aware of the responsibilities that come with a driver’s license. Here is where parents can find some relief and answers to common questions regarding the issue of teenage driving. 

2013 Top 5 Safest Vehicles For Teens

The Safest Automobiles Of 2013

One of the biggest concerns every parent has is the safety of their children. This concern only increases when those kids become teenagers and begin driving on their own. The reason is because of the horrific and sobering statistics associated with teen driving dangers. In fact, teen driving safety has become such a large issue that many parents are now investing in automotive surveillance tools such as GPS trackers to have total access over vehicle driving activity. These real-time GPS tracking devices for teens can give parents instant information on where their teen is driving and how fast they are going. Although technological tools are one way of overseeing teen driving activity many parents are taking safety one step further by purchasing their teens the safest automobiles available on the market. For parents looking at investing in the safest vehicles of 2013, here is a list of the top 5 automobiles that made the cut according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

  1. Dodge Avenger
  2. Chrysler 200
  3. Hyundai Sonata
  4. Volkswagen Passat
  5. Volvo S60

(The above rankings are NOT in order from most to least safe. All are equal in rating)

About Vehicle Safety Ratings

Every year the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety releases its annual top safety picks that evaluates automobiles according to how they respond to some of the most frequent and common automotive accidents. The ratings are determined by how the automobiles perform in side impact collisions, impacts on the rear end, roll overs, head on collisions and more. The car must show good performance in four of the five testing categories and at least an acceptable rating in the fifth category in order for the automobile to receive a top rating.

Of the approximately 180 automobiles tested for the 2013 top safety award only 13 vehicles were able to meet the safety guidelines set forth by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. When asked about the overall crash protection and safety of the top picks a IIHS representative explained that they were very pleased to recognize the manufacturers and vehicle models as they will be a true asset in automotive safety to anyone, including teen drivers.

 Heavier duty vehicles such as the Toyota Tundra also were able to secure a good safety rating, but the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety explained that in general the bigger and heavier the automobile the more likely it is to handle a collision and keep a motorist safe. Although the bigger is better philosophy is only a rule of thumb in terms of vehicle safety, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety was quick to note that some of the smallest automobiles on the market such as the Honda Fiat were also able to notch a good safety score.

Parents seeking to invest in a top-rated safety vehicle for their teen drivers can get more detailed information on the testing of each make and model of vehicle by visiting the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety homepage.

Teens Okay With GPS Tracking

Car-RentalAnyone with a teenage son or daughter understands that kids this age can be very fickle. This is the age where privacy and personal freedom are the primary concern. Teens don't want parents to come into their rooms and they don't want to explain where they are going every time they step out the door. This is why it is so surprising many teens are okay with their parents putting GPS trackers on their vehicles for observation of driving activity.

GPS Tracking: Reasons Teens Are Okay With It

The initial thought would be that there is no way in heck a teen would simply let a parent equip a real-time GPS tracker to their car, but the facts seem to suggest otherwise. First of all, many car insurance providers look fondly upon those who take additional security measures to safeguard their automobiles. Therefore, many of these car insurance companies will provide auto discounts for those teens who have a GPS tracker on their automobile. Since many teens pay for their own insurance, this cost savings is something that is welcomed.

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Device To Track Teen Driving

Tracking Key Gives Parents Oversight

Teen Driver boyWhen kids turn into teenagers they are in one of the most difficult transitional phases in all of human life. Being a teenager means going through physical changes, taking more responsibility for actions and of course becoming more independent as a person. Teenagers learn what it means to hold a job, pay for their own bills and operate in world with more freedom. When talking about expanded freedoms it almost goes without saying that the topic is driving. With the keys to their parents' vehicle or possibly their own automobile, teenagers can go to places they never had the ability to go prior to having a driver's license. Unfortunately, with this freedom comes a greater risk for teens to get in serious trouble by driving too fast or going to places that their parents state are "off limits". With concerned parents understanding the real dangers associated with teen driving and poor decision making, many safety conscientious parents have opted to use GPS trackers to enhance personal safety and oversight of their teenage sons and daughters.

The Value Of GPS Tracking For Parents

Parents understand that one of the most effective ways to gauge where a teen is at emotionally is through communication. However, getting the time to communicate with teens on a consistent basis can be challenging, especially with teenagers school workload, any extracurricular activities and time spent with friends. Therefore, finding time to discuss topics that many teenagers find boring, such as driving safety and responsibility, can be a difficult chore for parents. Not to mention, many teens will simply state that they are good drivers, and that mom and dad are just worrying to much. When communication channels are not at their most optimum and parents still have worries about their teenagers' driving behavior(s), GPS tracker devices can be valuable tools to enhance family safety.

Real-time GPS tracker devices may be the form of monitoring solution commonly found in the business world, but GPS data loggers such as the Tracking Key are the devices helping parents find out what their teens are doing. What makes passive data logging trackers such as the Tracking Key unique is that they record every second without any monthly fees. All a parent has to do in order to use Tracking Key is place the device on the automobile used by the teen, and then remove the GPS tracker when they want to review travel and driving history. Once the parent connects the vehicle tracker to a personal computer through a USB connection, the parent can see how fast the teen was driving, the amount of time the teen spent at each location (including departure/arrival addresses), mileage driven and an assortment of other information related to the driving activity of the teen. This data is superimposed over the satellite image program Google Earth, or viewable in a text format. With this specific and detailed GPS tracking system data, parents can have a complete view of how good or bad their teen is driving.

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Monitoring Device For Teen Driving

Affordable Teen GPS Tracker

teen drivingTeenagers in this era live in a world much more complex than 50, 25 or even 10 years ago. Today, teenagers are exposed to a television-centered society that seemingly rewards and sensationalizes bad behavior, causing many teens to experiment with drugs, alcohol or illegal prescription medicines. Throw in the already daunting fact that teens are often guided by peer-pressure to assist in the decision making process, and the recipe can be disastrous. Therefore, it is no wonder why so many parents feel the desire to do more to protect their teens. Desire to more closely observe behavior. Desire to call upon technology to aid in parenting.

GPS tracker technology was once a form of surveillance that only assisted in business fleet management, but has now quickly become one of the popular tools that parents use to oversee teen driving. "GPS vehicle tracking is extremely useful for parents because the technology provides concrete information about where a teen is hanging out, what speeds they are driving and how long they stayed at a friend's house", stated a personal tracking specialist at GPS Tracker Shop. "By reviewing the GPS vehicle tracker data, parents can determine if their teen is lying, driving dangerously or going to places they are not supposed to be. All of this GPS tracking information can be used to improve teen safety and family security."

GPS Tracker Recommend For Parents

After a parent has researched all of the positive benefits that GPS trackers can provide, the next step is figuring out what type of tracking device is best. The first thing a parent will need to determine is whether they desire a real-time GPS or a data logger.

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Why Parents Should Monitor Teen Driving

Are Parents Going To Far With GPS Trackers?

teens drivingGPS trackers have been the best friend of any concerned parent over the past decade. This is because the minute automotive tracking devices basically act as an invisible passenger sitting shotgun in a teen’s vehicle every time they put the keys inside the ignition. The GPS tracker essentially acts like the snotty little brother looking to gain parental favor by snitching on the older brother/sister for all of the dumb things he/she was doing such as driving too fast or going to locations he/she was not supposed to be. Although GPS tracking systems built for teen driving management can offer parents some small amount of assurance that their teen driver is adhering to proper rules of the road, many people believe GPS tracking technology also strongly invades the privacy rights of the teen. With so many parents now using GPS tracker devices to observe teen behaviors while behind the wheel, has the practice simply gone too far?

Many teens who oppose parents either covertly attaching a GPS tracker magnetically or hard-wiring a real-time GPS tracker unit to their vehicle state that parents are crossing the line of privacy and thus melting trust. The teen would defend themselves by proclaiming that they successfully passed state mandated driver’s education courses, a written examination provided by the state and a behind-the-wheel exam to show multiple teachers and driving experts that they are qualified to operate a vehicle, and that they understand the rules of the highways. After going through all those channels successfully, the only reasons a parent would want to attach a GPS vehicle tracker to their automobile would be for spying reasons.

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