Teen Driver Resources

I'm actually having a hard time sharing this with you today, because it's hitting awfully close to home right now. Earlier this week I attended a beautiful memorial service for a dear friend's 16 year old son who was killed in a car accident two days before Christmas. I also have many other friends with young drivers in their families, and my own niece is the proud owner of a Learner's Permit - soon to be driving on her own.

So, when I found this Teen Driver site, it was just too important not to share. Although this really isn't a site I would use with elementary students, many of you have your own kids nearing the driving age, or maybe you could share it with teachers that work with the older kids.

"Toyota and Discovery Education have teamed up to create Toyota Teen Driver, a comprehensive program designed to help teens avoid distractions and help them stay safe behind the wheel."

There are three sections of the site - one for students, one for parents, and one for educators.  

The Students Section includes different Driving quizzes, many educational tools (including budgeting sheets and calculators to help kids figure out if they can afford a car), and a Mutual Driving Agreement.

The Parents Section includes a quiz to help you evalutate your own driving, and then several resources on your role as the parent of a new driver. It also provides several practice driving activities.

The Educators Section includes quizzes to see how prepared we are as educators, lesson plan ideas, and several take-home activities.

Heads Up is an interactive game that kids are sure to love - but it's not just about fun. This is an interactive road distraction challenge. It will hep students practice their driving skills and see how they handle distracting scenarios, such as sending text messages, changing a radio station, or drinking a soda.

I hope this site will be helpful to some of you.