Study: Teens Driving Habits Come From Watching Parents

When it comes to your teen and driving, what influences them most? Is it:

• Having friends in the car
• Playing with their phones
• Drinking and parties
• How much sleep they’re getting

If you answered yes to any of these answers, you are wrong. According to research by Toyota and the University of Michigan, the number one factor in how teens drive is how their parents drive. Simply put, your kids have been watching you their whole lives. When they get behind the wheel, years of what you do—not what you say and not what driver’s education say—determine how they drive.

Do as I say and not as I do

You could not pick a worse approach when it comes to driving with your kids. To ram this point home, Toyota is producing the above series of videos. Titled, “Parents Who Drive Bad Anonymous,” Toyota clearly isn’t worried about also passing along bad grammar (it should be “Poorly,” not “Bad”). The videos show real interviews with parents talking about the impact of their driving habits.

Toyota has developed a range of tools to help parents figure out how to lead by example, and correct a short lifetime’s worth of mistakes. Toyota’s website gives parents advice on what to say, how to bring the issue up, and ways to make meaningful progress with an age group that isn’t exactly known for being gracious.

Conclusion

It’s never too late to set a good example for your kids. Even if discussion proves too much to handle, becoming a model driver might do more than words ever could. Your efforts make a difference in your child’s driving habits, so start in the easiest way you can: by being a better driver yourself.

Stop by Leith Toyota, the top Toyota dealership in Raleigh, to learn more about the safety of Toyota vehicles.