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By Greg Bartlett

Keeping track of the whereabouts of a teenager has never been an easy task for parents. Today, as more and more teens drive their own cars or have friends who do so, the job has become almost impossible. Parents are often left wondering how to keep in touch with their teens in order to ensure responsible behavior and to keep tabs on safety. Equipping your teen with a GPS tracking device can help you and your teen come to terms with a schedule that satisfies you both.

A GPS tracking device allows you to monitor the activities of your teen by viewing his or her location in real time or by viewing a report that details his activities throughout the day. Some models allow you to view information such as length and duration of stops and speed and direction of travel if he’s driving a car. The GPS transmitter sends a signal to your home computer at specified intervals and is accurate to within a few feet of the actual location. Parents can also take advantage of the option to set a perimeter with the GPS tracking device. If the teen travels outside the specified radius, an email or text message will be sent to the parent’s computer or cell phone.

Both teens and parents can see the benefits of using a GPS tracking device. Teens admit that having the tracking device encourages safer behavior and many view it not as a spy tool, but as an indication that their parents care about their activities. Parents see the devices as a means of strengthening the parent/teen relationship and many use the device as a springboard to discuss responsible driving and personal safety habits. Even schools are beginning to see the value of GPS tracking. One school recently began using the technology to monitor chronic absenteeism. Students who were habitually absent from class were required to carry a GPS tracking device with them, allowing the school to see exactly where they were during each class. School officials then contacted students to let them know their absence had been noted and that they were expected to be in class.

Although some have argued that GPS tracking devices are an invasion of privacy, those who use them insist that this is not the case. Parents and teens alike appreciate the value of opening a channel of communication that might not otherwise be possible and teens appreciate that their parents are taking an interest in them. In a society where teens often slip under the radar, using a GPS tracking device to keep them in the loop of family interest and activity may be the best way to communicate your care and concern for them.