Keeping Tabs on Your Teen: Can GPS Improve Teen Driver Safety?

With over 3,500 teen driving deaths per year in the United States, parents, government officials, health and safety advocates, and even insurance companies are all focused on finding ways to make the road a safer place for teens.

Of the many safety initiatives gaining traction such as graduated licenses and expanded driver’s training, programs that take advantage of GPS technology are quickly gaining popularity. Teensurance, a program that uses GPS to track teen driving habits, is one example.

“The Teensurance program provides parents with a suite of tools to actively monitor and manage their teenager’s driving,” says Teensurance Director of Product Management, Tim Haugaard. “With its real-time tracking, speed alerts and curfew notifications sent via text message or e-mail, parents can identify and correct their teenager’s driving behavior before an accident occurs.”

GPS tracking services are also offered by insurance companies such as Progressive, AIG, Allstate, and others. According to Hussein Enan, CEO of online insurance comparison site InsWeb.com, many insurance companies offer insurance rate discounts for parents who take advantage of GPS tracking programs.

“Underwriting teen drivers has always been a complicated situation for insurance companies,” Enan says. “They want to provide excellent service to parents, but teen drivers present a high degree of risk. GPS tracking services provide an easy and effective way to reduce the likelihood of risky driving behavior—it’s win-win.”

There are also GPS tracking units available from manufacturers that do not include real-time monitoring, but instead record driving data on a removable flash or hard drive. While these devices do not provide real-time information about a teen’s whereabouts, they generally do not require a monthly fee–the only investment is the cost to buy and install the tracking unit.

Some GPS tracking programs offered by insurance companies are also tied to “pay-as-you-drive” insurance policies. “Pay-as-you-drive” policies are a relatively new type of policy that ties insurance premiums directly to an individual’s driving habits, mileage, and other factors.

While GPS is a technology with a proven track record, the ultimate impact it can have on teen driving safety is still being explored. But one thing is clear—with millions of Americans nationwide focused on helping teenagers drive more safely, GPS tracking services will play a significant role.

Contacts

InsWeb Corporation
Jonathon D. Tudor, 916-853-3386
jtudor {at} insweb(.)com