With or without a graduated licensing law, parents can establish rules based on the graduated model. In particular:

(1). don’t rely solely on driver education. High school driver may be the most convenient way to learn skills, but it doesn’t produce safer drivers. Poor skills aren’t always to blame. Teens’ attitudes and decision-making matter more. Young people naturally tend to rebel. Teenagers don’t use safety belts as much, and they deliberately seek thrills like speeding. Training and education don’t change these tendencies. Peers are influential, but parents have much more influence than typically is credited to them.

(2). Know the law. Become familiar with restrictions on young drivers. Enforce the rules.

(3). Restrict night driving. Most young driver’s nighttime fatal crashes occur from 9 p.m. to midnight, so teens should not drive much later than 9. The problem is not just that such driving requires more skill. Late outings tend to be recreational, and even teens that usually follow the rules can be easily distracted or encouraged to take risks.

(4). Restrict passengers. Teen passengers in a vehicle can distract a beginning driver and/or lead to greater risk taking. Because young drivers often transport their friends, there is a teen passenger problem as well as a teen driver problem. About 6 of every 10 teenage passenger deaths (59 percent) during 2003 occurred in crashes with a teen driver. While night driving with passengers is particularly lethal, many fatal crashes with teen passengers occur during the day. The best policy is to restrict teenage passengers, especially multiple teens, all the time.

(5). Supervise practice driving. Take an active role in helping your teenager learn how to drive. Plan a series of practice sessions in a wide variety of situations, including night driving. Give beginners time to work up to challenges like driving in heavy traffic or on the freeway. Supervised practice should be spread over at least six months and continue even after a teenager graduates from a learner’s permit to a restricted or full license.

(6). Remember that you’re a role model. New drivers learn a lot by example, so practice safe driving. Teens with crashes and violations often have parents with poor driving records.

(7).Require safety belt use. Do not assume that belt use when you are in the car with your 16 year-old means belts will be used all the time, especially when your child is out with peers. Remember that belt use is lower among teenagers than older people. Insist on belts all the time.

(8). Prohibit driving after drinking. Make it clear that it’s illegal and highly dangerous for a teenager to drive after drinking alcohol or using any other drug. While alcohol isn’t a factor in most fatal crashes of 16-year-old drivers, even small amounts of alcohol are impairing for teens.

(9). Choose vehicles for safety, not image. Teenagers should drive vehicles that reduce their chances of a crash and offer protection in case they do crash. For example, small cars

Do not offer the best protection in a crash. Avoid cars with performance images that might encourage speeding. Avoid trucks and sport utility vehicles — the smaller ones, especially, are more prone to roll over.