Monitoring Teen Mistakes Behind The Wheel

(CBS)  This is part two of the CBS Evening News "The Road Ahead" series.

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On the road to learning to drive, you could say Kam Kantor hit a rough patch.

But unlike most fender benders, his slide off the road was caught on camera- inside and outside the car, CBS News correspondent Cynthia Bowers reports.

"I was in complete shock after it happened," Kantor says. "It was even scarier watching the tape, I think."

The extra eyes mounted just below the rear view mirror are part of a pilot project that lets hundreds of first-time drivers "see" their mistakes, such as texting while driving, breaking too late or driving too fast.

You might wonder why a teenager would let you put a camera in their car.

Even though this sort of camera is rolling all the time, it's not Big Brother. Its memory only hangs onto what happens immediately before and after some kind of driving event.

And those "events" are e-mailed to mom and dad, who review them with their teen.

"They're seeing what they're doing wrong," says Jim Rader, a parent. "They're working at it. They're worried about making mistakes. They want to do good."

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Watch more of Bowers' interviews with teenage drivers.

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University of Iowa researcher Dan McGeehee says the videos provide a reality check for over-confident beginners.

"This really shines a spotlight on their own driving and they can see themselves that they made some mistakes," McGeehee says.

And hopefully they learn from them. McGehee took 25 drivers who fell into two groups, those who drove "well" and rarely triggered the camera (about three times for every thousand miles driven) and those who triggered it a lot (nearly 19 times for every one thousand miles they drove).

But after seeing themselves, the "riskier" drivers improved by nearly 90 percent.

One of those was Kyle Madden.

When he looked at himself on tape, did he think he was a great driver anymore?

"No, I thought I was horrible," Madden says. "Because I always set it off on about every other corner, and I didn't wear my seat-belt a whole lot."

In fact he wasn't wearing it in his first accident. Luckily he didn't get hurt.

But he was wearing it just a couple months later when a truck pulled out right in front of him — and he nearly rolled his car.

Researchers have wired teens cars in Minneapolis now to test the cameras in an urban setting. But at least one insurance company, American Family Insurance, is already on board. It hopes to offer them nationally soon.

Parents are hoping lessons learned from some of America's most eye-opening videos will help get their teenage drivers home safely.

[marjca]

I have a new teen driver and I know they need help (and so do all the other drivers on the road)! I got a magnet from a website that we put on our car to let other drivers know when my daughter is driving - as a new driver. It not only helps us but also saves other drivers from getting mad at her. They also seem to give her more room. At least now they know why she may not make all the right moves while driving- she is just learning. Look at the web site www.rookiedriver.net. They have some good information and a nice choice of products at reasonable prices.

I know I for one want to know when a new driver is at the wheel so I can stay clear to protect myself!

[jankebenz]

I have driven everything from a small morotcycle to a 2 trail;er truck all over north america and europe and found the worst drivers to be those that drive too slow and or those that don't really know how to handle a vehicle. Overly cautious and unsure drivers I find are a hazard to traffic flow and are a major cause of accidents More driver training to that effect would aliviate more accidents

[homeone1]

Not just Teen Drivers but ALL NEW Drivers, regardless of age.
But here is the solution, which I have recommended several times to publications local to me. But what is the price on Safety? on Lives?

All newly licensed drivers, regardless of age, be issued a "Temporary" license for the first 2 years, requiring renewal with a written test, given every 6 months, a safety related test, with subject matter many of which is covered in a CDL manual.....
How often should you glance at your speedometer?
What is known as a "blind spot"?
When traveling on a roadway with a narrow shoulder, and you have gotten onto the shoulder, what do you do to regain control?
(This seems to be the cause of way too many head on collisions. "Grip the wheel tightly, let off the accelerator, and gently steer back onto the roadway. NEVER steering back suddenly with a jerking motion!")
What is known as "seeing the Big Picture"?
When approaching an intersection, or entering an intersection from a Stop, should you be looking at traffic approaching form other directions?
When should you turn on your headlights? (I have always thought head lights should be on at all times - to see and BE SEEN!)

Etcetera, etcetera..... I am sure the Highway Patrol can come up with more.
And here is one response I got from a Columnist....
Your suggestions make far too much sense to ever be implemented.
Pat Stith


Best Regards.....CCR