Every day, car crashes end more teen lives than cancer, homicide and suicide combined. Based on miles driven, teen drivers are involved in three times as many fatal crashes as all other drivers. Children’s risk of being hurt in a crash begins to increase as early as middle school age when they ride with older siblings, teen neighbors and siblings of their friends. Even the best and brightest teen drivers have increased risk of being involved in a deadly crash compared with experienced adult drivers.

You can make a difference. According to research, teens value the opinions of their parents most of all (even if it doesn’t always seem like it). That’s why sharing your knowledge about safe driving is so important. Now is the time to begin a potentially life-saving dialogue with your teen, setting and enforcing rules, and modeling safe and responsible driving to avoid crashes.

Minnesota uses a multi-stage licensing process for teens. This system allows teens to gradually gain exposure to complex driving situations, easing them into driving over an extended period of time.

After turning 15, your teen may apply for an instructional permit. A parent or legal guardian must sign the application. Your teen must complete 30 hours of classroom instruction from an accredited driver education school and be enrolled in or have completed behind-the-wheel instruction. Upon passing a vision and written test, your teen will be issued an instructional permit.

With an instructional permit, your child may only drive under the supervision of a certified driving instructor, licensed parent, legal guardian or other driver age 21 or older. After dark, a teen with an instructional permit may only drive under the supervision of a certified driving instructor or a licensed driver age 25 or older.

Teens must log a minimum of 40 hours of supervised practice driving, including 15 hours at night.  The law also requires an optional 90-minute supplemental education session for parents to provide information concerning graduated licensing, safety risks and the potential inmnuence of adults on driving behavior.  If a teen’s parents do not complete the class, the teen must acquire an additional 10 hours of supervised practice driving.

When your teen turns 16 and has driven conviction-free on an instructional permit for at least six months, the teen can apply for a provisional license. You or a legal guardian must first certify that your teen has completed the minimum requirements for practice driving. Then, upon presenting proof of driver education course completion and passing a road test, your teen will be issued a provisional license.

A teen with a provisional license is allowed to drive alone; however, for the first six months, the teen may not drive between midnight and 5 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent or licensed adult age 25 or older. Exceptions apply for driving between home, work and school. Additionally, for the first six months, only one passenger under the age of 20 is permitted to ride with your teen (immediate family members excluded) unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. After six months, no more than three passengers under the age of 20 are permitted unless accompanied by a parent or guardian.

After 12 months on a provisional license or reaching age 18, your teen may apply for a full license as long as the teen has no more than one conviction for a non-crash-related moving violation. For teens under age 18, a parent or guardian must certify that the applicant has driven under the supervision of a licensed driver (age 21 or older) for at least 10 additional hours.

In all instances, teen drivers and their passengers must wear seat belts. Additionally, Minnesota law prohibits teens age 18 and under from using a cell phone or other wireless device while driving — except for calling 911 or other emergency purposes. All Minnesota drivers are prohibited from composing, reading or sending text messages or accessing the Internet while driving.

The Minnesota Driver & Vehicle Services Division is in charge of licensing for all drivers in Minnesota. All written exams and behind-the-wheel tests required for a driver’s license can be performed at any DVS service center. Please check in advance for locations, hours, fees, plus acceptable forms of identification your teen will need to present when applying for each stage of licensing. Study materials to help your teen get ready for the exams are also available.

Consider using a parent-teen driving agreement to help enforce licensing rules that the state and your family set. An agreement helps you and your teen understand the rules of the road and sends a clear message that driving is an earned privilege that your family takes seriously.

Here’s some good news about auto insurance. Your teen won’t need it until licensed and driving without you or an instructor in the car.

Once your teen gets a learner’s license, you’ll want to talk to your auto insurance agent about costs and other issues involved in adding your teen to your policy. Because the risk of a crash is significantly higher for teen drivers, particularly during the first year of driving, your teen’s auto insurance rate likely will be higher than your own. Some families also use this time to comparison shop to find the right auto insurance option for them.

Because the risk of a crash is significantly higher for young drivers, particularly during the first year of driving, your teen’s insurance rate likely will be higher than your own. In this phase of the preparing-to-drive process, you may want to consider these strategies to keep your family’s costs down.

Cost-Saving Strategies

Raise deductibles to lower premiums

Ask your insurance representative how much you could save by increasing your deductible. If you file a claim after raising your deductible, you pay a larger share of the costs, but the savings might be worth it.

Encourage good grades

Many insurers offer discounts for students with a "B" or higher grade average, and some offer discounts for teens who complete driver's education or defensive driving courses.

Be involved

Introduce a parent-teen agreement to minimize risks. it won't lower your premiums, but it could prevent a crash or ticket that would increase your rates.

Plan ahead!

The type of vehicle your teen drives and how you classify your new driver - main or occasional driver of one vehicle, for example , can affect insurance premiums, so begin thinking about these decisions now.

CAR INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS IN MINNESOTA

All Minnesota drivers are required to have liability auto insurance at these minimum levels:

• 40,000 per person per crash for Personal Injury Protection.
• Auto liability insurance of $30,000 for injuries to one person, $60,000 for injuries to two or more people, and $10,000 for physical damage to the other driver’s vehicle or for damage to property (30/60/10).
• Uninsured Motorist coverage of $25,000 for injuries to one person, and $50,000 for injuries to two or more people.
• Underinsured Motorist coverage of $25,000 for injuries to one person, and $50,000 for injuries to two or more people.

Auto insurance companies in Minnesota determine rates based on factors such as your driving record, how long you’ve been a licensed driver, how much you drive, where you live and what you drive.

Learn about insurance available through AAA for teen drivers and their families.

https://teendriving.aaa.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Parent.Teen_.Driving.Agreement.pdf

Driver Education

Turning your teen into a safe driver is a complex task. Part of the process involves learning the rules of the road and how to safely operate a vehicle – two big areas where professional driver education and training can help tremendously.

Quality driver education provides a solid foundation of knowledge and skills that can help mold a safe driver. It can also help preserve your relationship with your teen, as even very skilled and safety-conscious parents might not have the time or temperament to be the best teacher.

CHOOSING A QUALITY DRIVING SCHOOL

When the time comes to pick a driving school, look beyond your budget and timeframe to seek out a quality driving school—one that focuses on your teen’s safety, not just passing the license test at the cheapest price.

• Ask around. Does your local high school offer driver education? Check with friends and neighbors about driving schools they’ve used.
• Call several driving schools. Ask questions about the quality of their operations, and ask for references.
• Talk to people about classroom vs. online classes.
• Visit several driving schools. Ask to sit in on a session, take a look at the vehicles and student materials. Check to see if they use current training materials, have professional instructors and maintain clean classrooms and safe vehicles.
• Focus on quality. Don’t settle for driving schools that advertise quick or easy programs.
• Check with the Better Business Bureau.

Minnesota requires all license applicants under age 18 to complete driver education. The state also requires an optional 90-minute supplemental education session for parents to provide information concerning graduated licensing, safety risks and the potential inmnuence of adults on driving behavior.  If a teen’s parents do not complete the class, the teen must acquire an additional 10 hours of supervised practice driving.

Teen Driver Distraction

If you are worried about your teen texting and driving or riding with distracted teen drivers, research shows you have every reason to be. Young people are among the most avid users of cell phones, smart phones, and texting devices and, according to a the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, more than half of teen drivers reported using a cell phone while driving and more than 1 in 4 reported typing or sending a text message while driving in the past 30 days.

STATE DRIVER DISTRACTION LAWS

Not only could using a cell phone or texting while driving cause your teen driver to crash, it could also lead to a traffic ticket. In Minnesota, instruction permit and provisional license holders are banned from using any wireless communication devices while driving. All Minnesota drivers are prohibited from composing, reading or sending text messages or accessing the Internet while driving.

KEY TIPS FOR PARENTS

Parents play a critical role in preventing distracted driving. Here are tips you can use related to this key part of driving safety.

• Start by setting a good example with your own driving. As your teen pays more attention to your behavior behind the wheel, you don’t want to pass on bad habits. Keep your mobile devices stowed and focus on driving.
• As you begin to practice driving with your teen, do not allow a cell phone to be used in the vehicle by your or your teen, make an effort to block out other distractions. Also, before your teen starts driving solo, adopt a Parent-Teen Driving Agreement that lays out strict rules related to distraction.
• Explain to your teen driver how to minimize various potential distractions, such as eating, drinking, chatting with a passenger, reading a map, personal grooming, reaching for things in the car or looking at people or objects unrelated to the driving task.
• When you are supervising your teen’s practice driving, stay off the phone and help your teen pay attention to the road. Don’t make electronic distractions an acceptable part of driving.
• Prohibit your teen from riding with teen drivers or transporting other teens during the learning-to-drive process. One of the most dangerous sources of distraction for teen drivers, whether due to horseplay, loud music, rowdy behavior or peer pressure, is teen passengers. A AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety study found that carrying passengers, particularly other teens, greatly increases crash risk for drivers under age 18. Minnesota’s driver licensing rules allow no more than one non-family teen passenger under the age of 20 for the first 6 months of driving and no more than three non-family teen passengers under 20 for the second 6 months.

Key Points for Parents

You play a critical role in your teen’s learning-to-drive process. Here are some important actions you can take at this stage.

Evaluate your teen’s readiness. Talk with your teen about personal responsibility, ability to follow rules and any other concerns before beginning the learning-to-drive process.

Get informed. A lot has changed since you earned your driver’s license. Graduated driver licensing (GDL), driver education, license restrictions and supervised practice driving are all part of today’s licensing process. And the state sets parameters throughout a multi-stage licensing process for young drivers, such as times of day they can drive and how many passengers they can carry.

AAA can help you understand what is involved in earning a license in Minnesota. A great place to start is with Dare to Prepare, an online workshop that gives you the basics on the licensing process.

Start talking now. You have acquired “road wisdom” over the years – insight you’ll want to share, because it could save your teen from having to learn things the hard way. Talk about the learning-to-drive process:

• What does it take to be a safe driver? What do you do?
• When will your teen start driving?
• What rules and responsibilities, such as paying for fuel and insurance, will your family have once your teen starts driving?

The more issues you address early, the safer and smoother the whole process will be. AAA offers StartSmart, a set of research-based e-newsletters you can use to guide discussions with your teen throughout the entire learning-to-drive process

Focus on passenger safety. Even though your teen isn’t driving yet, traffic crashes are a real danger. Crash risks begin to increase at age 12. Talk to your teen about:

• Always buckling up.
• Not riding with a teen driver without your advance permission.
• Being a safe passenger with teen and adult drivers.

Be involved. When you’re behind the wheel, talk about what you see (road signs, pedestrians, other vehicles, etc.) that could result in the need to change speed, direction or both. Have your teen comment, too. Be active in the learning-to-drive process: Maintain an ongoing dialogue about your teen’s driving, appropriately restrict driving privileges and conduct plenty of supervised practice driving. AAA recommends at least 100 hours of supervised practice driving. AAA provides tips and advice on how to conduct effective supervised driving practice.

Be a good role model. Your teen has been watching your driving habits for the last decade or so. And as your teen begins the learning-to-drive process, that focus will likely increase. So, make changes in your driving to prevent any poor driving habits from being passed on. Show you take driving seriously.

 WHAT YOU CAN DO

• Always wear your seat belt.
• Obey traffic laws.
• Do not use a cell phone while driving.
• Watch your speed.
• Don’t tailgate.
• Use your turn signals.
• Don’t drive when angry or tired.

GIVE YOUR TEEN A FREE TEEN MEMBERSHIP

The Free Teen Membership is designed for teens with a learner’s license. It provides peace of mind for parents and security for teens. Benefits include discounted online driver training courses plus the same great benefits and discounts as all other AAA members.

Already a member? Add your teen for free.
Not a member? Join today and add your teen for free.

AAA will be there when you can’t be, day or night.

Safe, responsible drivers do not drink and drive – period. As a parent, you can reinforce that message and help your teen steer clear of dangers like drinking and driving or being a passenger of friends who have been drinking. Preventing underage drinking also helps avoid exposure to violence, risky sexual behavior, alcoholism and other serious concerns.

What Can You Do?

Think your teen doesn’t hear what you say? Think again. More than 80 percent of teens say parents are the leading inmnuence in their decision about underage drinking. Families provide a framework for teens that guides their decision-making and behaviors – even when you’re not around.

With 14 being the average age when teens first consume alcohol, it’s important to start talking to your teen early and often about underage drinking. This can help set the stage for establishing rules around driving privileges. Here are some tips to help you get the conversation started.

• Be open – Teens will be more receptive to your message if they sense you are being up-front. Respect your teen – and insist you are treated respectfully, as well.
• Encourage questions – Your teen might not be eager or ready to ask questions when you’re having a formal discussion about underage drinking. So, clearly convey that you are available to answer questions at a later time.
• Be clear – Highlight what is best for your teen’s safety and give examples of potentially risky behaviors of other teens that should be avoided.
• Establish rules and consequences – Setting boundaries will clarify your expectations and can inform your teen’s decisions down the line. Create a parent-teen agreement that puts these expectations and consequences in writing.
• Show you care – Focus conversations on your goal of keeping your teen safe and healthy.
• Offer help – Despite good intentions, your teen could end up in a situation where underage drinking is present. Before that happens, let your teen know you are available to provide a ride home from any uncomfortable or risky situation.
• Don’t preach – Approach your teen with an understanding attitude. This can help prevent getting tuned out.
• Don’t ignore warning signs – Pay attention to your teen’s words, actions and social circle, so you can pick up on any warning signs early.
• Don’t condone fake IDs – Owning a fake ID is illegal, and research shows that almost all teens who have false identification use it. They also are more likely to partake in risky binge drinking and other harmful behaviors. Clearly state your disapproval of fake IDs and explain potential consequences of using them.
• Don’t facilitate teen drinking – While it may seem more desirable to have your teen consume alcohol in your own home under your supervision, it is both risky and illegal. Minnesota law forbids anyone from providing alcohol to someone under 21. You also could be held civilly liable for damages resulting from a person under the inmnuence of alcohol served in your home. Most studies show that teens who are allowed to drink at home drink more heavily outside of the home. Conversely, teens are less likely to drink heavily if their parents have specific rules against underage drinking and also drink responsibly themselves.

The Lasting Effects of Underage Drinking

Underage drinking can have significant health consequences. Some of these include:

• Alcohol Dependency – People who start drinking before age 15 are five times more likely to develop alcohol dependence or abuse later in life than those who begin drinking at or after age 21 years. Alcohol dependence is a term doctors use to describe people who have trouble controlling their drinking and whose consumption of or preoccupation with alcohol interferes with normal personal, family, social or work life.
• Risky behaviors – The younger teens are when they begin drinking, the more likely it is they will engage in behaviors that harm themselves and others. For example, frequent binge drinkers (nearly 1 million high school students nationwide) are more likely to engage in risky behaviors including use of other drugs like marijuana and cocaine; having sex with four or more partners before graduating high school; and earning mostly D’s and F’s in school.
  • Teens who binge drink are more than 63 times as likely to use cocaine than teens who do not drink.
  • According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), young drivers are 17 times more likely to die in a car crash when drinking and driving is involved.
• Physical effects – Adolescent bodies and brains are still maturing, making them vulnerable to long-lasting impairment from alcohol. Long-term thinking and memory skills have the potential to be impacted by alcohol abuse, as do livers and reproductive organs. Avoiding drinking during this developmental phase is critical, especially when teens are grappling with learning to drive safely.

• Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) offers workshops for parents to equip them with tools for talking to their teens about alcohol use.
• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) has a variety of resources for parents to engage their teens in conversation about underage drinking.
• The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign’s website provides parents of teens information, advice and guidance about alcohol and other drugs.

Teen’s Role

At this stage of new driver education, your aspiring driver already has some responsibilities and should commit to making safe passenger decisions.

BE A SAFE PASSENGER

• Don’t ride with a teen driver without your advance permission.
• Don’t distract the driver.
• Contact you for a ride home if a teen driver is unsafe.
• Always properly wear a seat belt.

PREPARE TO EARN A DRIVER’S LICENSE

• Become an aware passenger, observing and asking questions about driving situations.
• Commit to regular practice sessions to develop skills required for safe driving and managing risks on the road.
• Understand the financial and legal responsibilities associated with driving.
• Obey rules, including driver license laws and those established by your family.
• Avoid taking unnecessary risks while driving.

Teen’s Role

Teens have important responsibilities during this stage of the driving process. Responsibilities include taking the following actions:

• Commit to several hours of driving practice and study every week.
• Accept instruction and feedback about safe driving from you and any driver education instructors.
• Be patient about easing gradually into more complex driving situations as directed by you and driver education instructors.
• Focus on safe driving by obeying the speed limit, avoiding distractions and always wearing a safety belt.
• Avoid riding as a passenger with another new teen driver. If your teen does accept a ride with a peer, make sure your child understands to call you for a ride if there is any concern that the driver is not practicing safe driving.
• Abide by your family’s parent-teen driving agreement.

Your teen started learning about driving long before you began thinking about learner’s permits, driving classes and teenage driving tips. Children watch their parents’ driving behavior from the back seat, learning how they interact with other drivers, obey traffic laws and avoid distractions.

Now that it’s time to begin more formal driver training, AAA can help you choose the right driving school, talk to your teen about proper driving practices, set family rules about safe driving and offer more tips to help your child become a safe teen driver.

AAA simplifies the driving education process for parents of new and future teen drivers. Read on for the information you need as you get ready for your teen to start driving.

“Understanding the Facts & Risks” explains why teens crash—it’s not just from distracted driving or drunk driving. “Licensing Process” walks you through Minnesota’s system for getting a driver’s license. “Insurance” details insurance requirements as the teen driving process begins, and the news is probably better than you expect. “Driver Education” helps you understand your state’s specific driver ed requirements and pick the right driving school for your teen. “Key Points for Parents” boils everything down to the simple things that you should be doing now to instill safe driving practices. You and your teen are partners in this process, and “Teen’s Role” lays out some of your teen’s responsibilities.

You have an ally in AAA as you embark on the road to safe driving. As you and your teen begin this shared journey, be sure to check out AAA’s free, online Dare to Prepare program, too.

Mentor. Leader. Coach. Partner. You’ll assume all these roles as your teen works through steps to become a responsible, safe driver. Supervised driving is the first of those steps. From finding a quality driving school to helping your teen earn a learner’s license and supervised driving to strengthening your teenage driver’s skills and knowledge, AAA can help you and your teen get started.

Find helpful information about how teens can become safe drivers in “Understand the Facts & Risks,” which lists teenage driving statistics and how you can overcome risks by instilling safe driving practices in your new driver. “Licensing & State Laws” details Minnesota’s driver’s license process, which eases your teen into being a safe driver. Not sure where to start with teen driving insurance or what type of vehicle is best for your teen driver? “Insurance & Vehicle Considerations” gives you answers to insurance questions (including tips on how to save money), plus five things to look for when car shopping for a teen driver. “Driver Education” will put you on the path to locate the right driving school, one that focuses on teaching safe driving techniques to teen drivers.

A great tip in “Key Points for Parents” is to create a teen driving agreement on which you and your teen can agree. Plus, teen driving and supervised driving tips in the “Teen’s Role” section help your son or daughter prepare to be a responsible, safe driver.

With AAA as your backseat driver, you’re off to a great start.

Done. Finished. Complete. Well, not quite. Teen drivers still need their parents’ advice and support—even after they are driving on their own with a driver’s license in hand. The crash risk for teen drivers is highest now that they are driving on their own, so parents should still be coaching them, guiding their driving instruction and monitoring where, when and with whom they drive. AAA can help.

“Understand the Facts & Risks” educates parents about how to ensure teen safety behind the wheel. Family rules and a teenage driving agreement can address seat belt use, driving in adverse conditions and such distracted driving habits as texting while driving. Brush up on Minnesota’s licensing laws in “Licensing & State Laws,” which breaks down the state’s multi-step license process.

Once they are driving on their own, teen drivers need insurance. “Insurance & Vehicle Considerations” will tell you how to save on insurance and give you a few things to consider when determining if your teen needs a car of his or her own. A parent-teen driving agreement is a good way for parents to support teen drivers, and “Key Points for Parents” offers tips on creating an agreement as well as encouraging safe driving practices. But it’s not all up to the parents. “Teen’s Role” is geared for the new teen driver, featuring teen driving tips, safe driving techniques and a practice driving test to help teens prepare for their upcoming responsibility.