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by James Neely - freelance writer for hire

Indiana leads the way in states that have passed laws designed to keep teens safe while driving by banning the use of cell phones and other devices. The state is being watched as it becomes a test-bed for these new, more restrictive laws and how they will affect the safety of teen drivers.

Teen Driver Safety

Meanwhile two teenage girls in the central part of Indiana have been killed in separate automobile accidents in recent weeks. Might these new laws have helped them? The debate continues.

The new laws which go into effect on July 1, 2009, places restrictions on drivers younger than 18 from using cell phones while driving. One year later it will increase the age that teens can get their first license by five months.
While these efforts are to be applauded, they fall short because they fail to take into consideration the enforcement aspect which is problematic for local authorities. Adding additional responsibilities to become a nanny to teen drivers shows that the emphasis is on the wrong side of prevention efforts.

GPS tracking needs to be instituted on vehilces driven by teens as a means to enforce laws and rules by parents.

Always watching. These highly sophisticated units are always on and always reporting. Choosing the right model for your situation means that you can have real-time tracking if needed or just periodic. Even cutting off power to the unit does not render it inactive. This “always on” feature places the message in the back of teens minds that this is a serious effort and that they must comply with laws and rules.

Law compliance verification. Once compliance is verified, justice can be meted out. Whether by local police or parents, teens can be held accountable and that will help them to be better drivers.

Safety. Being able to track your teens helps deliver safety on their part. If something does occur, their location can be instantly reported to authorities.

There is nothing more frustrating to teens than adults who refuse to trust them and given them needed responsibility to prove themselves. It is easier to turn them loose once GPS tracking is implemented. Teens will soon learn that with freedom comes responsibility and that will help them grow and mature more quickly.

This topic is not likely to go away any time soon, but it can be made less of an issue with GPS tracking for it is better to be safe than sorry. Ask the parents of the teens who have been killed recently. They would give anything to have their children back.