TEENS AND PARENTS: In the past several years, teen vehicle-related deaths have been decreasing a bit, according to the National Traffic Safety Administration. This is wonderful news, but teens still need to continue to improve their safe-driving skills.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, motor vehicle fatalities are still the major cause of death among teens, accounting for one-third of all teen deaths. The C.D.C.P. estimates that 4,000 drivers between the ages of 15 and 20 are involved in fatal crashes every year. The majority of these deaths are caused by driving at night, inexperience when driving in bad weather, and not wearing seatbelts.

Many high schools offer Driver's Education courses for students, and this is the best way to begin the learning process. Parents should play an important role in making sure their teens follow all of the safe driving rules. It is wise for parents to make sure their 16 to 17-year-old state-licensed drivers have a 10 p.m. weekday and an 11 p.m. weekend curfew because accidents happen more often in the later hours.

A teen should be encouraged to practice their driving skills by driving the family to and from certain local destinations. It's a chance for parents to offer helpful driving suggestions and to offer praise when good driving skills are evident.

Wise parents will also limit the number of friends who will be riding with their teen driver. One friend should be the maximum for the first year of their teen's driving experience. In a rare occasion when more than one friend will be permitted to ride in the car, the maximum limit would be only one passenger per seatbelt.

Many teens have trouble when parents dictate how they should drive. The teens feel parents are over-sensitive when the teen makes a minor driving infraction and it causes a family disagreement. However, it is imperative that the teen driver learns to follow legal standard safety rules and to be alert to the possibility of other drivers creating problems that the teen may have to deal with.

Parents must always remember that getting a driver's license is a major goal for a teen, and parents should do what they can to help make the process as enjoyable and informative as possible. However, if tension is starting between parent and teen, it's time to end the session on a happy note, and stop for a hot fudge sundae or a strawberry milkshake! When all else fails, it is wise to call a professional driving instructor to the rescue!

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. E-mail him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists,

visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Matthias Ripp