NORTHBROOK, Ill., Sept. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Many would agree
there is a long list of worries for parents of teen drivers. Yet, a
new survey from Allstate reveals that these parents take some
comfort when it comes to their teens hitting the road, in the form
of strong graduated driver licensing (GDL) laws, professional
driving instructors, and perhaps surprisingly, their own
children.
Keeping mom and dad up at night
Parents of teen drivers are most worried about their teenager
texting or being distracted by friends while driving (73 percent
say this concerns them "a great deal"), being at risk from other
drivers on the road (61 percent), their children's inexperience
putting them at risk (59 percent), and the possibility of their
children drinking and driving (50 percent).
- Mothers are more worried about texting and distracted driving
(75 percent worry a "great deal") than fathers (69 percent).
- Moms are also more worried about their children being at risk
from other drivers (65 percent) than dads (54 percent).
- Conversely, fathers are more concerned about drinking and
driving (55 percent) than mothers (48 percent).
- Parents in the Northeast are considerably more concerned about
distracted driving (88 percent) than those in other regions (66
percent Midwest, 69 percent South, 76 percent West).
Trust in thy teen
Parents overwhelmingly agree they trust their own children to
drive, but they are worried about other teenagers on the road (79
percent agree with this statement, while 17 percent disagree).
- Parents are less worried about their children being mature
enough to handle the responsibility of driving (36 percent worry a
"great deal"), the various costs associated with teenagers driving
(28 percent), and the threat of their children causing significant
damage to the car (26 percent).
…and trust in their teacher
More than half of American parents (53 percent) say a
professional driving instructor would do a better job teaching
their children to drive than they would. This is a measurable
difference from the actual experience of American parents, only 40
percent of whom were taught to drive by a professional
instructor.
- When asked why they prefer a professional instructor, parents
cite instructors' superior command of the rules, and the beliefs
that driving instructors would have more patience, and that their
children would be more likely to listen to the instructor.
- Parents who think they would do a better job themselves say
they know their child best and they trust their own experience and
driving skill.
The law is my friend
Eighty percent of parents support state laws that limit when and
with whom teenagers can drive, with 54 percent saying they
"strongly support" these laws.
- Support is higher among mothers (58 percent strongly support)
than fathers (48 percent). Support increases the closer a parent
gets to having a licensed teenage driver, with 71 percent of
parents of teenagers who currently hold a driver's license strongly
supporting these laws, compared to just 60 percent of those with
unlicensed teenagers in their home.
A wide majority of parents (81 percent) agree state laws that
limit teenage drivers "make it easier for me as a parent to enforce
driving rules for teenagers."
- Parents in the Northeast are most likely to agree with this
sentiment (92 percent agree, compared to 78 percent in the Midwest,
81 percent in the South, and 72 percent in the West).
Just over half of parents (51 percent) think an appropriate age
for their children to receive a driver's license is at least 17
years old. Forty-six percent believe the appropriate age is 16.
- Parents in the Northeast are much more likely to support driver
licenses at age 17 or later. Seventy-four percent of these parents
support licenses at 17+, compared to 39 percent in the Midwest, 53
percent in the West, and 41 percent in the South.
Laying down the law at home
Three in five parents (60 percent) say they had restrictions
from their parents or guardians when first driving, including 45
percent who had an evening curfew, 31 percent who had restrictions
on where they could drive, 26 percent who had restrictions on who
could be in the car, and 25 percent who had restrictions on how
often they could drive.
- Parents who had restrictions on their own driving are just as
likely to support restricted licenses for teenagers as those who
had no such restrictions.
Sixty-one percent of American parents say compared to other
parents they know, they are stricter when it comes to attitudes
about their child driving. Thirty-one percent say their attitudes
are about the same as other parents, and just 5 percent say they
are more permissive.
- Mothers are more likely to say they are stricter (68 percent)
than fathers (50 percent).
About the Survey
The national survey of 600 American parents with children under
age 18 was conducted September 6-8,
2011 via landline telephone, and has a margin of error of
+/- 4.0 percent. The survey was conducted by FTI Consulting, Inc.
(FTI) for Allstate.
About Allstate
The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest
publicly held personal lines insurer known for its "You're In Good
Hands With Allstate®" slogan. Now celebrating its 80th anniversary
as an insurer, Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to
help nearly 16 million households insure what they have today and
better prepare for tomorrow. Consumers access Allstate insurance
products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services through
Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive
financial representatives in the U.S. and Canada, as well as via www.allstate.com and
1-800 Allstate®.
SOURCE The Allstate Corporation