Test your knowledge about the eight danger zones for teens behind the wheel.
Getting a driver's license is an exciting time for a teen. But driving is especially dangerous for young, new, drivers. See how much you know about some danger zones for teen drivers.
This widget is an interactive quiz to test your knowledge about safe teen driving. Place the widget on your Web site, portal home page or on your blog to help others test their knowledge, too. Don't worry if you don't know all the answers- you can visit www.cdc.gov/parentsarethekey to learn more.
Which of the following is a leading cause of teen crashes?
- Driver inexperience
- Driving w/teen passengers
- Reckless driving
- All of the above
Answer: All of the above. Driver inexperience, driving with teen passengers, and reckless driving are all risk factors that can contribute to teen motor vehicle crashes.
How many hours of supervised practice driving should your teen have in the first year?
- 1–2 hours
- 10–20 hours
- 20–30 hours
- 30–50 hours
Answer: 30-50 hours. Help your teen develop the skills he or she needs by providing as many supervised practice driving hours as possible. Include at least 30 to 50 hours of practice over at least 6 months. Make sure to practice on a variety of road conditions and at different times of day.
Wearing a seatbelt can decrease the risk of injury or death in a crash by how much?
- 10%
- 20%
- 35%
- 50%
Answer: 50%. The easiest way to prevent motor vehicle deaths is to buckle up. Wearing a safety belt on every trip will cut your teen’s chances of being killed or seriously injured in a crash by about half.
Nearly 8 out of 10 crashes happen within how many seconds of a driver becoming distracted?
- 3 seconds
- 10 seconds
- 15 seconds
- 30 seconds
Answer: 3 seconds. Common distractions for teen drivers are talking on cell phones, using in-car electronic devices, text messaging, eating, playing with CDs or the radio, and yelling out the window. Forbid all activities that could affect your teen’s driving attention."
What does GDL stand for?
- General drivers license
- Generational drivers license
- Graduated driver licensing
- Generic drivers license
Answer: Graduated driver licensing. Graduated driver licensing [GDL] systems help new drivers gain skills under low-risk conditions. As drivers move through stages, they are given extra driving privileges. These may include driving at night or with passengers. GDL systems are proven to reduce teen crashes and deaths.
About two out of three teen crash deaths that involve 16-year-old drivers happen when a new driver is driving with whom as a passenger or passengers?
- No other passengers
- Teen passengers
- A parent
- A driving instructor
Answer: Teen passengers. Crash risk goes up when teens drive with other teens in the car. Follow your state’s graduated driver licensing [GDL] laws for passenger restrictions. If your state does not have a teen passenger rule, limit the number of teens your child may drive to zero or one. Keep this rule for at least the first 6 months of his or her license.
Nighttime fatal crash rates for 16-year-olds are how much higher than daytime crash rates?
- 10% higher
- 25% higher
- 35% higher
- 50% higher
Answer: 50% higher. Nighttime driving is risky because it is harder to see at night and people are often tired. Be sure your teen is off the road by 9 or 10 PM. Stick by this rule for at least the first 6 months of your teen having his or her license.