Thank you for participating in the GreenLight Teen Driver Study.

During the study you will have an opportunity that few parents have ever had before: to actually see how your teenager is driving on their own.

Beginning about 30 days after the study equipment is installed, once the initial data collection period has ended, you will be able to see the safety level of each of your teen's trips online. Simply click the link on this page to be taken to the SafetyCenter.

When viewing trips in the SafetyCenter, look for trends and overall ongoing risky behavior, not one time maneuvers. Determine which event categories require attention. There are many causes for a yellow or red trip, and it is important to talk to your teen about when they drove in an unsafe manner, why their driving was unsafe, and how to avoid doing so in the future.

To help your teen improve, please refer to the following driving instructions from "How to Drive", the AAA beginning driver's manual and "Managing Visibility, Time and Space", the AAA driver improvement program.

Speed

A reasonable and proper speed for any set of conditions is one that assures the driver a safe travel path. The right speed provides time and space to brake or steer to a safe alternate path four to five seconds ahead if an emergency develops. If you drive too fast for conditions, then you will not be able to stay on your intended path of travel or stop in time to avoid a collision. Traveling too fast for conditions makes it difficult for other drivers and pedestrians to predict your probable actions.

Lane-handling

To make a lane change:

• Check ahead, to the sides and to the rear, for a safe gap in traffic for your vehicle.
• Signal you intention to move left or right.
• Re-check the blind areas to the rear in the direction of your intended lane change.
• When conditions are safe, steer into the new lane, adjusting your speed to the flow of traffic.
• Once you reach the new lane, cancel the turn signal and re-check your vehicle's speed and position.
• When you pass another vehicle on a two-lane road, you must enter a lane designated for oncoming vehicles. At a speed of 60 mph, you'll need at least 19 seconds to complete the pass of a vehicle moving at 50 mph. You'll need an additional five to seven seconds to pass a larger vehicle such as a tractor-trailer truck. Do not pass unless you know you have enough space to return, and do not attempt to pass more than one vehicle at a time. Don't count on other drivers making room for you.

Acceleration

If your acceleration is sudden and hard, the rear of your vehicle will drop and your passengers may be forced backward, possibly causing them injury.

No two vehicles accelerate exactly alike, so drivers must develop sensitivity for each vehicle they drive.

Braking

Control brake pressure: For better brake pressure control, your heel should be positioned on the floor in front of the brake pedal. This position allows you to apply pressure with your toes, which provides greater sensitivity to brake lockup than using the ball of the foot on the pedal.

Stopping time: Total stopping distance consists of perception, reaction, and braking times. Distance is difficult enough to estimate in the best driving situations, but it is extra difficult when the driver's attention is divided. Assuming reasonable attention to task, an average driver generally takes ½ to ¾ of a second to recognize something that requires a response. Responding to the need to do something takes another ½ to ¾ of a second - that's the driver's reaction time. Both perception and reaction time estimates are based on the assumption that the driver is in good physical health, has had sufficient sleep, is not impaired by alcohol or other drugs, and is paying attention to his or her driving.

Cornering

Be aware of your speed when you turn. Whenever in doubt, proceed slowly. For either a right or left turn, your speed should not exceed 5 - 15 miles per hour. Before you begin any turn, tap your brake pedal to alert drivers behind you, then apply steady pressure to your brake. Slow to the appropriate speed before you enter the turn, maintain a constant speed while you turn, and accelerate slowly as you complete the turn. Remember, the sharper the turn, the slower you must travel to maintain control of your vehicle.

More than 50 percent of fatalities occur as a result of single-vehicle crashes. Basically, the vehicle runs off the roadway and strikes a fixed object or overturns. Almost without exception, these crashes involve improper steering or braking, or a combination of the two.