Tampa, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/25/2014 -- More than 85% of high school juniors and seniors admit they use a cellphone while driving. This may be a shocking statistic for parents who expect their teens to practice safe, non-distracted driving. But the bigger shock for parents might be the realization that they could be part of the problem.
According to an article published by MamaBear Family Safety app (supported by research from the American Psychological Association), the amount of time teens use their phone while driving may be directly influenced by their parents.
The blog post, “Parents Are Most Distracting to Teen Drivers,” describes two ways that parents may inadvertently lead their teens to talking and texting while driving.
First, many parents simply set a poor example. When teens see their parents talking and texting while driving, it becomes the norm for them. It doesn’t seem like dangerous behavior because their parents are doing it in front of them.
“As parents, we always need to be aware of the examples we are setting,” said MamaBear president Robyn Spoto. “If we think it’s okay to answer the phone while we are driving, our kids will too.”
Second, parents often expect their teens to answer their phone calls or texts immediately. When kids think their parents will be angry if they miss their call, they may use their phones more while driving. In a survey of 395 teens, most stated parents were the contact they talked to most while driving.
“Setting the right expectations with our kids is important,” Spoto goes on. “Let them know it’s ok to not accept our call while driving and agree on them pulling over to call back or when they arrive at their destination.”
The article goes on to list ways that parents can encourage better driving behavior in their teens. Using monitoring programs and setting good examples are among the advice MamaBear offers to parents.
For the full list of ways parents can help prevent distracted driving in their teens, find the complete story on the MamaBear Blog
About MamaBear
MamaBear is a cutting-edge, worry-free parenting app for Android phones and iPhones that provides family safety with a powerful set of social media monitoring tools, location and driving notifications. Since its initial launch in late 2012, MamaBear has received extensive media coverage in the U.S. and has been installed all over the world. The app is available in the Google Play Store for Android phones and in the Apple App Store for iPhones.
The makers of MamaBear Family Safety App are a group of parents, digital visionaries and experienced technology entrepreneurs with a passion for fostering family unity and worry-free parenting. Their mission is to create tools that provide parents peace of mind while giving children needed freedom. Their core values are to protect children, honor families, encourage trust and respect privacy.
The MamaBear team regularly blogs about a variety of issues affecting parents and their children, especially when it comes to family safety. Read the blog at mamabearapp.com/blog.
Learn more about the MamaBear Family Safety App at MamaBearApp.com or follow MamaBear on Facebook and Twitter