Poll: More than Half of New Jersey Parents Lack Understanding of State Teen Licensing Law

May 12, 2015 – Sixty-eight percent of New Jersey parents with teens of driving age lack adequate understanding of the state’s novice driver licensing law, also known as the Graduated Driver Licensing program (GDL), according to a new poll released today by the New Jersey Teen Safe Driving Coalition.

This, despite 58 percent of parents saying that car crashes are their biggest safety concern they have for their teens. GDL programs provide new drivers with the ability to gain valuable experience on the road, with certain restrictions, before extending their driving privileges to full-operator status. 

The study results demonstrate that parents who do not understand GDL are not leveraging a program which is proven to be effective. 

“Car crashes remain a leading cause of death for teens in New Jersey,” said Pam Fischer, leader of the New Jersey Teen Safe Driving Coalition, which worked with Cedar Knolls-based Opinion America to conduct the phone survey of parents with teen drivers ages 16-20 in late January. 

“We were encouraged to find so many parents identify car crashes as their biggest safety concern,” added Fischer. “However, parents need to understand what GDL is because it may prevent teen car crashes. New Jersey has a strong law and good enforcement. Now we need better education. If we have all three, we will save more lives.”

Studies show that states with strong GDL programs experience as much as a 40 percent reduction in teen driver crashes. More than half of New Jersey parents surveyed said they were familiar with the term “GDL,” and many could identify the leading causes of teen crashes – distraction (34 percent, inexperience (31 percent), poor decision-making (18 percent), and lack of driving skills (seven percent). 

“Graduated Driver Licensing is a proven and effective method for reducing teen drivers' crash rates,” said Tracy Owens, senior manager, Corporate Relations, Allstate New Jersey. “The Allstate Foundation recognizes this crucial step in building new drivers’ confidence and experience and encourages parents and teens to discuss the responsibilities of driving through the Allstate Parent-Teen Agreement.” 

Parents, however, hold the keys to mitigating these risks. Research confirms parental involvement is critical, and a survey from The Allstate Foundation found that teens cite their parents as the number one influence when it comes to learning to drive. 

Yet, according to the New Jersey Teen Safe Driving Coalition survey, only 30 percent of New Jersey parents surveyed said they are their teens’ “most important driving teacher” and sixteen percent said they played only a “small role” in coaching their novice driver. Ensuring that parents not only understand the important role they play in teaching and supervising their new driver, but also that their teens expect and welcome their involvement is critical. 

At the same time, parents who do see themselves as their teens “most important driving teacher” (35 percent) are less likely to view driving or car crashes as their biggest safety concern. 

“It’s possible that parents who take an active role believe they’ve mitigated their teens’ crash risk and worry less,” said Fischer. “However, a teen driver’s crash risk remains high even after he’s fully licensed. In fact, New Jersey crash data confirm 18, 19 and 20-year-old drivers are more likely to be involved in fatal crashes than their 16 and 17-year-old counterparts.” 

To help parents understand GDL, the New Jersey Teen Safe Driving Coalition developed the GDL Made Simple video and a list of frequently asked questions, which can be accessed at www.teensafedriving.org/nj/gdl. The National Safety Council developed DriveitHOME.org to help parents become effective driving coaches. 

The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission also helps parents by providing free copies of Safe Driving: A Parent’s Guide to Teaching Teens, available for pick-up at MVC agencies. The Guide discusses NJ’s GDL program and other motor vehicle laws, and includes lessons to help parents coach their teen drivers along with a practice driving log.

About the New Jersey Teen Safe Driving Coalition

The New Jersey Teen Safe Driving Coalition seeks to establish a culture of safe teen driving based on the proven principles of Graduated Driver Licensing. Coalition members are volunteers from state and local law enforcement, highway safety and transportation, public health and the medical community, and injury prevention, as well as teens, parents, business leaders, and family members and friends of teen crash victims. New Jersey’s Coalition is one of ten supported by The Allstate Foundation and managed by the National Safety Council. The other states include: California, Florida, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas. 

About the Parent Poll

The telephone phone of New Jersey parents of driving age teens (16-20) was conducted for the New Jersey Teen Safe Driving Coalition by Opinion America between January 12 and February 4, 2015. The margin of statistical error, at the 95% confidence level, for N=400, is +/-5%.