Distracted, over-confident, and reckless. Teens often make for horrible drivers. Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the U.S. Over six die this way every single day and over 600 suffer car-crash-related injuries each day.
Photo: Chevy
Attempting to combat these startling statistics has often been done using scare tactics. Graphic staged performances of the consequences of drinking and driving are often portrayed in parking lots of high schools before prom. Driver’s Ed courses usually feature victims of drunk or distracted driving. That’s why Chevy is trying a new, more proactive approach to better combat the side-effects of teens on the road called Teen Driver.
Chevy first introduced the technology in the 2016 Malibu and now it’s available across most of their 2018 lineup. The fully integrated system does not miss a beat. It begins right when the engine is started by not allowing the stereo to be turned on until seatbelts are fastened. When Teen Driver technology is turned on, Stability Control, Traction Control, Forward Collision Braking, and Front Pedestrian Braking are all automatically enabled.
A pin code gives parents the ability to customize the stereo volume limit and speed to best fit their family’s needs. Teen Driver tracks the habits of the person behind the wheel. It puts together a “report card” which details the distance driven, the maximum speed reached, the number of times the vehicle went over the pre-approved speed limit, tailgating alerts, and if the Forward Collision Avoidance Braking was activated.
Photo: Chevrolet
The data from the report card is only housed inside the vehicle and does not send the data to any sort of cloud. This is done to negate the potential of the vehicle being hacked. In light of the potential of an emergency situation, Chevy did not include the option of a speed limit cap under 85mph.
Teen Driver works to keep parents at ease and to ultimately encourage young drivers to develop safer driving habits. Alerts recorded in the report card are displayed to your teen in real-time using audible alerts. The goal is to make them aware of the bad habit so they can begin to correct it immediately. My clients have told me it gives them peace of mind. One father said his daughter competes with herself to see if she can improve her report card each month. Teens competing with themselves to form better driving habits? Doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.
Your teen’s first car is a really big deal and that’s why we want parents and their soon-to-be drivers to experience the technology for themselves first-hand. Families are more than welcome to stop by anytime to learn about Teen Driver. We want parents to be aware of the programs available to keep their teens safe on the road. Come experience the positive difference a Chevy can make on your family’s driving habits.
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