Young Drivers

Motor vehicle injuries are the leading cause of unintentional injury for youth in Alberta. Both drivers and passengers of motor vehicles are at risk for serious injury, permanent disability, or death.

Most teenage drivers overestimate their driving abilities and underestimate the risks of driving. Crash rates are especially high during the first year of unsupervised driving. Using smart risk strategies – looking first, getting trained, buckling up, and driving sober - can help a young person have a better experience behind the wheel and keep passengers safe.

Smart risk strategies for young drivers

Look First

Take the time to clean windows and mirrors and adjust your seat. Make sure you can see the road clearly every time you get behind the wheel. Driving at night requires extra attention. Teen drivers are at a higher risk of having a serious crash when it is dark.

Get Trained

New drivers must develop new motor skills and decision-making skills. Learn driving skills from a professional instructor and get at least 50 hours of supervised practice in a variety of driving conditions before you go out on your own.

Buckle Up

Every time you travel in a vehicle, use a seatbelt. Make sure there are enough seatbelts for everyone traveling with you. People who do not use seatbelts are over three times more likely than seatbelt users to be injured.

Drive Sober

Be fully in control of your mind and body when you’re behind the wheel, with no impairment of any kind. Impairments include alcohol and other drugs, and distractions like cell phones and friends.

Dangerous distractions

The smart risk strategy to "Drive Sober" addresses the importance of driving without impairments or distractions of any kind. Consider the following facts:

Drivers in fatal collisions are almost four times more likely to have consumed alcohol than drivers in non-fatal injury collisions.
Among the 15 to 24 year old males who had a motor vehicle major trauma injury and were tested for alcohol use, about half tested positive.
Drivers under the influence of cannabis are six times more likely to have a fatal crash than an unimpaired driver.
Drivers using cell phones are four times more likely to crash than other drivers.
Fatal crashes involving 16-year old drivers are more likely to occur when there are other teens in the vehicle; and the risk increases with every additional teen passenger.

Passengers need to be aware that driving, especially for new drivers, requires one’s full attention. Passengers should not distract their driver.

Alberta’s new distracted driving law restricts drivers from texting, reading, using hand-held cell phones, and other distracting activities while driving. The proposed fine for this offence is $172. For more information about the distracted driving law go to the Government of Alberta Transportation website.

Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL)

Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) is a proven way to reduce injuries among new drivers. The reasoning is simple: GDL programs limit exposure to the highest risk conditions for new drivers, and allow them to gain experience gradually under less risky conditions.

On May 20, 2003, GDL became the law in Alberta and changed the way new drivers are licensed in the province. Alberta’s GDL program introduced the probationary operator’s license in between the learner’s license and the full driver’s license.

GDL programs are a good start to increasing road safety for everyone. Parents of young drivers also have an important role.

Parenting teen drivers

Teenagers are faced with making decisions about many new kinds of risk, but their ability to assess risks and future consequences is not fully developed. To prevent dangerous risk-taking and injuries, it is essential that youth learn how to recognize risk, manage risk, and make healthy choices.

Parents can help teenagers learn how to manage risk by letting them try new things and making sure they understand how to stay safe. An important part of parenting teenagers is helping them learn to recognize and manage risks and to give them practice in doing so. This approach applies to many new responsibilities and challenges, including driving.

Research shows that teenage drivers have fewer crashes when parents impose limits on unsupervised driving that are gradually relaxed as the young driver gains driving experience. It is also important that parents lead by example and model safe driving behaviour.

Want to learn more?

The Parent/Teen Driving Agreement outlines the major risks for young drivers and what parents can do to reduce the risks. It also helps a parent and teen make a plan for unsupervised driving that gradually relaxes limits as the young driver gains experience behind the wheel.

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