Beginning July 1st, 2008 Arizona's teen drivers will have new restrictions on learner – Class G – permits before they can acquire a Class D or full license privileges.

Numerous studies have found that states with limitations on teen driving practices – like those being implemented in Arizona – can reduce fatal crashes involving 16-year-old drivers significantly. Please go to our link New Arizona Teen Driving Limits to learn more about the new law.

Auto insurers in Arizona are stepping forward to help teens and their parents prepare for this new responsibility. Below are just a few examples of programs that AIC members offer policyholders to help make teens better, safer and more aware drivers.

American Family – Teen Safer Driver Program
http://www.amfam.com/customer/learning/safety/teendriversafety.asp

The Teen Safe Driver Program provides American Family Insurance customers a proven approach to help teen drivers improve their driving. Provided at no charge to the company’s auto insurance customers, Teen Safe Driver produces changes in behavior that persist beyond the duration of the program.  Dramatic results of the program include:

• Teens reduce the frequency and severity of high risk driving events by more than 70% in the first four months, on average. 

• Driver seatbelt use improves from less than 40% to an unprecedented 100% -- and passenger seatbelt usage rates increase dramatically, too. 

Here’s how the program works:

• Teen Safe Driver Program participants have an in-vehicle camera installed that records sights and sounds, inside and outside their vehicles.

• The camera captures risky driving behaviors such as swerving, hard braking, sudden acceleration and collisions.  Images and sounds of the behaviors are sent to an analysis center, where analysts review and assign the behavior a risk score. 

• Via the program’s Web site, parents view the driving report card, video events and coaching tips; including an objective, third-party assessment of the teen’s driving performance compared with other teens. 

• The program is offered for up to one year, in association with DriveCam Inc., a company that specializes in reducing risky driving behavior and saving lives. 

Parental involvement is a key element in bringing about change in teen driving behavior. The Teen Safe Driver Program provides parents the tools and tips they need to help coach and motivate their teens to drive more safely.

Farm Bureau Financial Services – Teen Driver Safe Driving Pledge
http://www.fbfs.com/fbfs/Rhythmyx/content/1168.cfm

Farm Bureau Financial Services* offers a variety of resources for teen drivers and their parents at its Web site: http://www.FBFS.com. By following the Young Drivers link, users can access a downloadable safe driving pledge, which provides a structured approach for teens and parents to begin the discussion of safe driving guidelines. By signing the pledge, parents and teens recognize the basic expectations for driving performance long before any issues present themselves.

Farm Bureau has created an Auto Glove Box Organizer that can help teen drivers maintain composure, ask all the right questions and have the proper documents available should an accident occur. With less experience behind the wheel, teens are statistically more likely to experience auto accidents, so being prepared with this useful resource at hand is an important step toward handling an unforeseen incident. The Auto Glove Box Organizer is available through Farm Bureau agents, or a downloadable version can be found at FBFS.com.

The Web site also provides links to safe driving information for teens from various resources, including the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, National Safety Council, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety and Edmunds.com Teen Driver Safety Series.

*Property-casualty insurance products offered through Western Agricultural Insurance Company+ and Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company+/West Des Moines, IA.
+Affiliated and companies of Farm Bureau Financial Services

Farmers Insurance – Y.E.S. Program (Your Essential to Safety)
http://www.farmers.com/FarmComm/WebSite/html/auto/YES/Yes_1.html

As part of the Y.E.S. (You’re Essential to Safety) Program, Farmers Insurance sponsors a video and Roadbook called WRECKED. This educational information will help teens see what it means to make good and bad decisions on the road.

The Video and WRECKED Roadbook cover:
Seatbelts, Road Rage, Collisions and Injuries, Cell Phones, Speeding, Tailgating, and Excessive Driving, Cost of Insurance and Wrecks, Driving and the Law, Passenger and Driver Behaviors, Drinking and Driving, and Safety Checklist

State Farm – Steer Clear Program
http://www.statefarm.com/learning/be_safe/road/teen.asp

Steer Clear Safe Driver Discount - In order to initially qualify for this discount, the following requirements must be met:

All male and unmarried female drivers under 25 years of age who are assigned to the automobile must:

• have no at-fault accidents or moving violations in the three year period prior to the time the discount is initially applied (Note - In some states certain accidents and moving violations may not disqualify you), and

• have successfully completed the State Farm Steer Clear program, which needs to be administered by a State Farm agent. The program includes the driver watching a video presentation, reading a safe-driving magazine and completing a driver's log to document driving experiences.

• All private passenger automobiles in the household must be insured with State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company or State Farm Fire And Casualty Company (however, none can be written under an assigned risk plan).

 USAA – K.E.Y.S. (Keeping Every Youth Safe)
http://www.usaaedfoundation.org/KEYS.asp

If your teen is getting ready to drive, or is already driving, you can help to protect your teen's safety by participating in the USAA’s Educational Foundation’s K.E.Y.S. (Keeping Every Youth Safe) program. It was developed to help families communicate the importance of safe-driving behaviors with their teenage drivers. It is designed to provide parents of teens with information to encourage safe-driving habits. Research has shown that parents have an influence on their teen’s driving behavior.

These materials are presented by the USAA Educational Foundation in a format for parents and teens to complete activities together.

Behind The Wheel: A Practice Driving Guide For Teens And Parents
Designed to help you foster the development of your teen’s driving skills — from the most basic skills to those needed to handle progressively more challenging driving conditions

On The Road Video: A Presentation For Teens And Their Parents
Driver distractions contribute to more than half of all teen crashes because they disrupt a driver's concentration and shorten reaction time. Teen driving distractions include talking with other passengers, changing radio stations or CDs, eating or drinking, and using cell phones while driving.

Cost Of Driving: From Insurance To Maintenance Expenses
Provides you and your teen with useful information to begin to understand the full extent of the costs of driving including the responsibility of insuring the vehicle, ongoing maintenance and the importance of maintaining a good driving record.

Take Our Interactive Driving Challenge

On The Road - our interactive driving challenge. Get into the driver's seat and see how you will react to common driving distractions. Then see how you did against your peers.