Could Parents be to Blame for their Teens' Reckless Driving Habits?

The teenage years can be fraught with an insensitive understanding of what exactly many are going through. Sometimes, this may result in reckless behavior.

Particularly when it comes to driving, research shows that motor vehicle crashes in the United States are highest among 16- to 19-year-olds . However, recent findings presented at the American Psychological Association's 122nd Annual Convention found that many of these crashes are connected to parental interaction.

"Teens said parents expect to be able to reach them, that parents get mad if they don't answer their phone and they have to tell parents where they are," said Noelle LaVoie, PhD, a cognitive psychologist based in Petaluma, California, in a news release.

Based on an analysis of more than 400 teen drivers between the ages of 15-18 from 31 states, researchers found that many crashes resulted when a teen driver was simultaneously talking to a parent on their cell phone.

Teens who admitted to talking or texting while driving were also likely to say that "everyone is doing it," and that their parents also practice the same behavior.

Statistics from the study showed that 37 percent of participants between the ages of 15-17 with restricted drivers' licenses reported talking on the phone. Fifty percent of participants who were 18 and possessed unrestricted licenses also reported talking on the phone while driving.

Furthermore, researchers found that some study participants admitted to regularly texting and driving. Sixteen percent of the 18-year-old participants admitted to texting and driving, while 8 percent of 15- to 17-year-olds did, also. 

"Parents need to understand that this is not safe and emphasize to their children that it's not normal or acceptable behavior," concluded LaVoie. "Ask the question, 'Are you driving?' If they are, tell them to call you back or to find a spot to pull over so they can talk."