With graduation time coming up, parents and teens should remember to talk about driving safety.More than half (56 percent) of teenagers make and answer phone calls while driving.
* 13 percent (an estimated 1.6 million teens) said they drive while reading or writing text messages.
* 47 percent said passengers sometimes distract them.
* 64 percent admit they speed up to go through a yellow light.
* Nearly 70 percent of teens said they’ve felt unsafe when someone else was driving but less than half (45 percent) would speak up.So what can parents do to help prepare their teens for the prom and other events while keeping a focus on safety? Be clear about the dangers of drinking and driving: Driving under the influence is illegal and unacceptable. Many statistics can illustrate the dangers of drinking and driving, but make it clear to your teen that making it a safe evening for all is top priority. Transportation plans can easily change on the spot and teens may find themselves in potentially dangerous situations. Make sure your teen knows it’s OK to not take a ride with a driver whose behavior causes concern. Teens should be able to call parents or a responsible adult for a safe ride