According to Steve Rosen of McClatchy Newspapers and recently published in the Modesto Bee (July 8, 2007), SafeCo Insurance rolled out a product in late June that gives parents a leg-up on their teen's safety behind the wheel.  Steve even goes so far as to say it's "from the heavens."

So what does this product do, exactly?

Well, for $14.99 per month, SafeCo will mount this product, about the size of a deck of cards, under the dash of the insured's car.  The parents can establish the driver's limitations.  And when the limitations are exceeded, the parent will be notified electronically.  These limitations could include distance, curfew and speed.  Of course, the device has no way of identifying speed zones and any parent can look at their watch to determine if their child is out past curfew. 

So, while this device will certainly have its limitations, in my opinion, it is a great catalyst for conversations about driving safety between the teen and the teen's parents.  And driving safety starts with discussing the importance of safe driving behaviors today before the the lack thereof becomes a tragedy tomorrow.

Of course there is still the old school way of just following your teens around, which I am convinced my parents did to me.  Or at the very least, they made me fear that they followed me.  And that scared me into driving better...and it cost them nothing.

Until next time, stay safe behind the wheel.

Jason D. King, ABC
VP, Public Relations & Information Services
AAMVA
jking@aamva.org

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