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As vehicle accidents are the No. 1 cause of teen deaths, many parents are concerned when their teens take to the roads.  This concern may be alleviated by vehicle tracking devices.  The best time to make an agreement with teens regarding monitoring devices is when they first get their drivers licenses or first cars.

Consumer Reports published in May 2014 their findings when testing three tracking devices (Mastrack, MobiCoPilot, and Motosafety) which can monitor teen driving.  These devices check on the vehicles speed and location along with acceleration and braking.  The monitors use a small, GPS-enabled device which is plugged into the vehicle's diagnostic port.   By going to a website, parents can set limits for the driver and also view a map that shows the vehicle's location and route.  They then can get a text alert and/or email should the vehicle exceed a set speed limit or any other limit that is set. Boundaries may also be set such as school or work. Whenever the vehicle goes outside the boundary, the text alert and/or email will be sent. If the device is turned off or disconnected, the parent will know about it and can even run a detailed report showing exactly when the incident occurred, where and for how long the device was off. Consumer Reports does warn that before using any monitory device, that purchasers be sure to explore the privacy practices of the companies and are comfortable with how they treat the information.

The American Automobile Association (AAA), and other providers, also have monitoring devices.  The AAA device is called the OnBoard Teen Safe Driver device. This device works in a similar way to the devices mentioned above. It provides a website where parents can program parameters.  When the teen driver deviates from the programmed parameters, the parent is notified via email and/or text. Whenever parents are worried, they can click a button and use the website to instantly locate the teen's vehicle.

According to the Governors' Highway Safety Association report of June 2013, speeding was the factor in 33% of fatal teen crashes in 2011, and teen speeding can be monitored. Although teen crash deaths have declined in recent years, on average seven teens still die each day in vehicle crashes. Those teens with monitoring devices in their vehicles took fewer risks while driving than unsupervised teens, according to a 2009 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) study of drivers 16 and 17 years old.  Adrian Lund, IIHS President, warns, "however, that the technologies are effective only if parents 'pay attention to the feedback'".

"Teen driving accidents can, and do, leave serious injuries and even cause deaths.  Monitoring devices can be a way of helping teens avoid accidents. We, at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., urge parents to stay  involved in their teen's driving experiences. Driving is a privilege and with any privilege there are responsibilities," says Teen Accident Attorney, Randall Spivey.

Fort Myers Accident Attorney, Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one (1%) percent of Florida attorneys.  He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida.  For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll free at 1.888.477.4839,or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com.  Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information.  You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County 239.793.7748.