Keeping an Eye on Our Teen Drivers, through Smartphones

As parents, we worry about our kids.

That worry is magnified when we send them out in a motor vehicle. Now, there’s a way that you can keep an eye on them even when you’re not in the passenger seat. It’s the Push Text app and it’s available for both Andriods and for iPhones.According to the Courrier-Journal, the program gives your teen driver a bumper sticker that reads, “How is my KID driving? Push Text my tag #.” You get the app on your phone and you get to read all about their driving. The app will only cost parents $15 for the first 12 months and then $10 for each year after. All you have to do is download the app and register your kid’s plate number.

Our Highland accident lawyers understand that car accidents continue to be the leading cause of death for teens throughout the country. They have higher accident risks that any other age group of drivers. During their first year behind the wheel their accident risks are the highest. It’s important that parents stay involved in their teen’s driving career to help minimize the risks as much as possible. This app, some say, is going to help to do just that. Others say that it’s an app that comes with many more cons than pros.

Some are saying that this app is dangerous because it’s urging other drivers to whip out their phone behind the wheel and start composing a message about someone else’s driving. This is only going to increase the risks for distracted driving car accidents. Others are saying that this app is going to allow drivers to falsify reports. Since the messages are anonymous, drivers believe that others are going to submit fake reports and the system will never be accurate.

“This puts a little bit of yourself in the passenger seat as a parent,” said Michael McManigal, creator of the app. “Once (teen drivers) leave the driveway and turn the corner and they’re out of sight, no one’s policing them.”

Teens are reminded that having a driver’s license is a privilege and it’s a privilege that can be revoked if you’re not responsible. In 2009, there were more than 40,000 drivers who were under the age of 21-years-old who were involved in a car accident in the state of Indiana. There were close to 50 of these individuals who were killed in these incidents, according to the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.

For this reason, officials with the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI) and with the Governor’s Council on Impaired & Dangerous Driving continue to work with teenagers, parents, legislators and safe driving advocates to help to increase awareness about the importance of a thorough driver’s education for our young ones.

One of the main reasons that these young drivers get into car accidents is because of the number of passengers they have in the car. A number of studies have proven that just one young passenger doubles the risks for your teen to get into an accident.

We’re asking all parents to sit down and to talk with their teens about safe driving habits. Make sure they understand the risks that are associated with distracted driving. Make sure they’re aware of their state-issued driving restrictions through the Graduated Driver’s Licensing (GDL) program and that they’re abiding by all of these rules. Staying involved can help to decrease their risks and can help to keep them safe out there! more If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in a car accident, contact Injury Lawyer Burton A. Padove for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your rights. Call 219-836-2200. More Blog Entries: Highland Traffic Safety: Parents Upset over Red Dot for Teens, Indiana Injury and Family Lawyer Blog, August 10, 2012 Summertime Risks for Accidents in Highland!, Indiana Injury and Family Lawyer Blog, July 8, 2012