ACDelco Canada • Tips for Teens

Tips for Teens

The teen years are the greatest time of risk for drivers during their lifetime. Young drivers are inexperienced and, as a result, often cannot accurately judge traffic safety risks or take appropriate actions to reduce accidents. To do your part, apply the fundamentals of the Graduated Driver License system to help reduce teen driver risks. Some of the key elements include:

Work as a family to develop a plan with clear expectations and consequences.
Require safety belt use for everyone, every time, no excuses. And obey all other laws.
Require a minimum of 50 hours of driving experience over the course of 9 to 12 months, under the direct observation and supervision of a licensed driver–either a parent or other mature adult.
Set nighttime limitations and passenger restrictions. Reduce nighttime restrictions over time and with experience. Allow no accompanying passengers under a specific age that is determined by parents.
Accept no distracted driving or other unsafe or illegal behaviors. This includes texting or talking on the phone while driving.
Parents need to remember that they are role models, guides and partners during the teen driving experience.
While many states include some elements of the Graduated Driver License system, families may want to incorporate additional fundamentals that are not part of their state's new-driver laws.