The road ahead is risky for teen drivers. Here's how to help them navigate it

This story is part of Amy Bell's Parental Guidance column, which airs on CBC Radio One's The Early Edition.

When I turned 16, I applied to get my driver's licence as soon as possible. 

Growing up, there wasn't much within walking distance from my home, and the nearest bus stop was a hike away. So being able to hop behind the wheel meant freedom. It also meant the mom-and-dad taxi service could finally retire.

But, like many teens, it also meant I had my first speeding ticket and car accident within a year.  

With the graduated licensing program in most provinces now, it takes a lot longer and a lot more practice before anyone can head out alone. But we still put young people behind the wheel of heavy machinery and kind of just pray for the best.  

Sometimes, the outcome is the very worst. According to recent statistics from ICBC, an average of 28 people aged 16-21 are killed in crashes every year in B.C., with young male drivers three times more likely to be involved than female drivers, particularly when speed or impairment is a factor.

So yes, it can be terrifying to see our kids get behind the wheel. Alleviating that terror starts with proper, wide-ranging education about driving.

Gravity of the decision

Maria Bagdonas, education manager for Young Drivers of Canada, stresses that we need to fully educate teens about the gravity of the decision to drive, as well as all the rules of the road.

"Driving is one of the most dangerous things that you will do, short of certain career choices, on a daily basis," Bagdonas said. "And the risk doesn't change from the first day that you have your licence to the last."

Bagdonas says leading by example is always the best lesson. So, tone down that road rage and cut out those rolling stops, please.

At the same time, some new drivers today seem aware of the dangers and the importance of doing things right. 

Emma Reid, who just turned 18, says she was very anxious about getting in the driver's seat.

But she was determined to overcome her fear so she could take some of the burden off her parents, who have always driven her and her younger sibling around. She says she took lots of lessons and gave herself a lot of practice in quiet areas so she could get comfortable.

In the end, driving has given her a boost in many ways. 

"I feel like being able to drive, it just feels different," says Reid, who lives in North Vancouver. "It gives you an independence that taking transit or riding a bike wouldn't. And it kind of makes you feel more adult. More able." 

Do teens really need to drive? 

For all the options and arguments against driving, being car-free is a privilege many people can't afford. In many areas, especially rural areas, there are few other transportation options and a driver's licence can provide greater opportunities for education and employment for teens.

But for families growing up in areas with easily accessible transit and cycle paths, should we actively discourage teens from getting their licence? 

It's tempting, especially when you throw in the growing cost of gas and the environmental impact of driving. 

Cycling enthusiast and advocate Lucy Maloney says she doesn't want to prohibit her children from driving — she just wants them to have the ability to choose other options.

"Getting a driver's licence has been seen as ticket to freedom and independence in a culture where we might not have very good alternatives for people who can't be in a car, and that's pretty sad," says Maloney, who lives in Vancouver.

"It just means that it holds our kids back from actually being independent and exploring their neighbourhood and their city until they have a car, which brings with it all sorts of costs and risks. I really hope my kids have a choice for what they want to do."

In order to have those choices, alternative means of transportation have to be accessible, safe and affordable for everyone. Lucy says we need to hold governments accountable for improving all modes of travel.

No matter where they live and their access to transportation, teens interested in driving should be educated from a young age about all the rules of the road, and we should make sure they can safely navigate and share those roads with others — whatever they'll be driving in the future. Hopefully, there'll be a very graduated licence to operate a flying car.