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IIHS Study Finds In-Car Monitoring Devices Cut Risky Driving by Teens
May 07 2009 by Jennifer Newman
Parents, just how far are you willing to go to make sure your teen is a safe driver? Would you install an in-car monitoring device that tracks your teen’s driving? It sounds a lot like Big Brother — or is that Big Mother? — but an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study found that in-car devices help teens become safer drivers.
It’s no surprise that teens are riskier drivers when they’re alone or with friends. The in-car monitoring devices used in the IIHS study flag risky driving behavior — including speeding, aggressive driving and not wearing a seat belt — and some devices report them to a secure website that parents can check.
These devices aren’t without some controversy because they raise boundary and trust issues, which can be treacherous with any teen.
The IIHS study used four different monitoring devices, which were installed in 84 cars driven by teens. They monitored the teens’ driving for 24 weeks. Some drivers heard alerts when they made a risky driving move, which was then reported to a website. Other teen drivers’ cars were outfitted with devices that gave them a grace period — 20 seconds — to correct their driving. If corrected, the risky driving wasn’t reported to the website (or their parents). I call that incentive, people. Another group didn’t hear any in-car alerts, but there was website notification. A fourth group was the control group; they had a monitoring device but didn’t have any in-car alerts or website notification.
The study found that driving faster than the speed limit was the most common risky behavior among teen drivers. Although some teen drivers did slow down when their in-car monitoring device alerted them to their driving behavior, most teen drivers began to speed up after awhile.
The most effective device in the study was one that gave teen drivers an opportunity to correct their bad driving before the device sent word to a website.
There are several kinds of in-car monitoring devices. Some have GPS capabilities, while others provide feedback through alerts.
• Basic system: This uses a car’s onboard diagnostics recorder to store trip information (CarChip or Road Safety International).
• GPS-based system: This device stores information about a car’s location, speed and directions. Some will give feedback to the driver; real-time systems can call, email or text parents about their teens’ driving (Inthinc).
• Video system: DriveCam uses a camera mounted under the rearview mirror to record images and sound inside the car, as well as images of the road ahead. This system saves the images if a crash or risky driving occurs. The information is sent to a center where it’s analyzed.
• Smart keys: Ford is offering MyKey, which allows parents to set limits on teens’ driving. Using a special key, parents can limit a teen’s speed to 80 mph and specify a maximum stereo volume. The system will come standard on the 2010 Focus.
The study found that 98 percent of parents would recommend the devices to other parents. The majority of teens in the study thought the in-car devices helped them be safer drivers, but they also found them annoying. An alarm that went off when I made the wrong move in the car would drive me crazy, too.
If you aren’t ready to get an in-car monitoring device for your teen driver, take a look at our suggestions for keeping your teen driver safe this summer.
Would you consider using an in-car monitoring device to keep tabs on your teen driver? Tell us in the comment section below.
I am very interested in learning more. I would rather break a trust issue and keep my child alive