Continued from Deadly Drag Racing PAGE 2...

"For many teens--particularly males--drag racing has always served as a rite of passage," says David Huff, Chairman of Driver Education and Training Administrators in Montana. "When kids get on the road for the first time, not only do they often forego their seat belts, but they drive fast to assert their independence."  

And the media perpetuates this type of behavior. (Remember The Fast and the Furious?). "There was an increase in drag racing after the release of some of these films." Huff says. "And where you live doesn't affect the frequency of this behavior. It happens on the rural roads of Montana and the urban streets of Los Angeles."

Given the fact you won't be with your teen 24/7, what can you do to ensure he or she won't drive dangerously? "Drive cams are a great device and a way for parents to keep tabs on their kids in a non-invasive way," Huff says. 

Here's how it works: You simply mount the cam on your teen's rear view mirror and it films everything that's going on in the car. When there's a sudden acceleration, an alert is downloaded to your computer server. It may not stop your kid in the moment, but if he knows he's being filmed, the odds of him participating in reckless driving will most likely decrease.

"You can also plug a key fob into your kid's car to record how many miles were traveled and at what speed," Huff suggests. "When your child gets home, they hand you the key fob and you'll get a read-out." And if your kid ditches the key fob and then retrieves it before coming home? The device will flash an error screen--a red flag he was joy riding. 

The most practical advice: "Studies show that when parents actively supervise their kids in the early stages of driving, their kids are simply better drivers," Huff says.