Involve Parents

Often times, parents are confused about the current driving laws for teens. After all, it’s much different than when they were young. Inviting parents to become ambassadors for teen driving safety in their homes can help us further our mission. The following tools can help parents become more active in the driving experience with their teens.

• Distribute informative brochures. The Driver’s Seat brochures designed specifically for parents inform on the process of getting a license as well as the restrictions for the first years of driving.
  • Brochure for Parents – English
  • Brochure for Parents – Spanish
  • To order large quantities of brochures to be mailed, please contact Jeri Jo Johnson at [email protected]

• Public Service Announcement for Parents
  This 60-second video motivates and educates parents on their role in teen driving safety.  It can be shown to parents in safety training courses or as a link in an e-newsletter.
• Instruct parents on what they need to know to teach their child to drive safely.
  • Developed by the Mesa County Health Department and CDOT, the Teaching Your Teen to Drive Program covers a variety of teen driving safety topics and gives parents tips and tools to implement in their own homes.
    • Teaching Your Teen to Drive presentation
    • Teaching Your Teen to Drive handout

• Provide parents with a sample Driving Contract

• Communicate with parents in newsletters or emails. Letters to parents are available on a variety of topics relevant to teen driving safety.
• Article for Parents: Tips to Keep Teen Driver Safe
  Seven tips to developing an “authoritative parenting” approach towards teen driving.
• Article for Parents: Some of Life’s Most Important Lessons Begin Behind the Wheel
  How parents can help their teen understand the GDL laws and how to enforce them at home.
• Article for Parents: Keeping Your Teen Safe
  How parents can keep their teens safe while they are in the driver’s seat.
• Letter to Parents: Teen Driving Safety, Focus on Distractions
  It’s our children (drivers under 20 years-old) that have the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal crashes. How parents can help.
• Article for Parents: Drinking & Driving:  How Parents Can Help
  Motor vehicle crashes are the number one killer of teens in Colorado, and many more are severely injured every year. Often the causes of those crashes involve inexperience, distracted driving and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Article for Parents: Inexperience & Winter Roads
  Inexperience and winter roads – a risky combination for new Teen Drivers.