Teenage driving statistics in the U.S. can be pretty worrying. Although they constituted only 5.1% of all drivers, teen drivers made up 8.5% of all fatal crashes in 2021. In fact, they have the highest involvement in fatal crashes of any age group. That's why driving age restrictions are a thing; drivers need to have the relevant experience and emotional maturity.
These are the two things this teen lacked. She didn't have a license yet, but she got into a habit of taking her parents' car for joyrides. When they found out, they decided to put a tracker inside the car. And the mother asked people whether this was inappropriate. Interestingly, many people took issue with another aspect of the story.
These parents decided to use a GPS tracker to find out if their student-driver daughter was using the car without their permission
Image credits: cottonbro studio / pexels (not the actual photo)
When it turned out to be true, the mom asked the Internet whether it was unreasonable to use the tracker
Image credits: Element5 Digital / pexels (not the actual photo)
When judgments and criticism about their parenting rolled in, the mom came in to justify the decision
Image source: Dry_Tumbleweed_862
Drivers who only have a learner's permit cannot drive without adult supervision
Image credits: Kindel Media / pexels (not the actual photo)
The first reaction from people was that the parents misidentified the problem. This wasn't a privacy issue. What the daughter was doing was wildly irresponsible and definitely illegal. So many netizens piled up on the parents for not parenting the teen properly.
Indeed, having a learner's permit does not allow a teen to drive a car on their own. A learner's permit is a form of a license, but a teen with a permit is not a licensed driver yet. It depends on the state, but a learner's permit usually implies that the teen needs adult supervision at all times. The accompanying adult needs to be 21 or older in many cases.
Only when the required amount of time of having a learner's permit passes (in some states, it's six months, and in others, 12, like in this case) a teen driver can receive a provisional, or restricted, license. Depending on the state, even the provisional license comes with lots of strings. In some states, they can't have passengers under 21 for the first six months. In others, they're not allowed to drive without adult supervision at night.
Clearly, the teen in this story still didn't have an intermediate license and couldn't drive on her own. If she were to be stopped by the police or get in an accident, she would have to face fines, potential vehicle impounding, and the suspension of driving privileges. In some cases, learners might not be allowed to retake their driver's test for another nine months.
Some teenagers are not mature enough to drive, and that's for their parents to decide
Image credits: Ron Lach / pexels (not the actual photo)
This story sounds pretty nuts when you consider that a 14-year-old was on her own behind a wheel. We already mentioned that teenagers have higher fatal crash rates than older drivers. Experts say that's because they lack maturity and driving experience. Peer pressure can also be a huge factor, as teens often might get distracted by their friends in the car.
Some even argue that 16 is too low an age to allow teens to be drivers. They say teenagers don't have fully developed brains yet, so they speed, become distracted more easily, and make mistakes. That's why parents need to take extra responsibility when their teen becomes a new driver.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recommends parents put in place some rules. "Keep a log of the time they spend driving under your supervision, and set a goal at or close to 70 hours even if your state requires far less."
They even recommend putting the rules in writing and making your teen sign a driving contract. Their template offers to agree on the terms of what's off the table for the teen when they're behind the wheel, like speeding, using a phone, or driving without the parents' supervision. There should also be additional rules about the consequences of breaking the rules.
Marie Snodgrass, an injury prevention program lead at the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, says this might make it clearer for the teen as to what's expected of them. "We know that when families set up clear rules and boundaries that are discussed ahead of time, kids are more likely to follow them. Anytime you're intentional as a parent it goes a long way."
And there's nothing wrong with not letting a teen get their learner's permit yet. Especially if they exhibit immature behavior like this daughter. The IIHS writes that parents don't have to allow their teenagers to get their learner's permit the minute they turn the required age. It's up to the parents to decide if their kid is ready for such a responsibility or not.
People still called out both parents for allowing their unlicensed daughter to be a danger on the roads
Some said the daughter was just as guilty for acting so recklessly
Others said the daughter was the jerk and clearly not mature enough to be driving
