News from AAA Oklahoma, Feb. 15 2007 – In light of new research released today, AAA has issued a challenge to parents to “keep the keys” from their teen driver until a Parent-Teen Agreement is signed.

The research, a “Nationwide Review of Graduated Driver Licensing,” funded by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, shows that states that have three-stage GDL systems, such as Oklahoma’s, are more effective at reducing crash rates than GDL programs that do not include three stages of licensure.

According to the AAA Foundation study, states with three-stage GDL programs experienced 11 percent fewer fatal crashes and 19 percent fewer injury crashes among 16-year-old drivers than states without such programs.

Recent statistics released by the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office show a marked decrease in both the number of teen fatalities and the number of teen crashes after Oklahoma’s GDL law went into effect. Fatalities dropped from 20 to 11.

“This research shows we are definitely on the right track,” said Chuck Mai, spokesman for AAA Oklahoma. “Easing teens into licensure by limiting their exposure to risky situations while they are gaining needed experience behind the wheel saves lives.”

Because parents play such an important role in keeping teens safe on the road, AAA is challenging parents to have their teens sign a Parent-Teen Agreement that spells out the rules for earning the privilege of driving. That agreement and state GDL laws can be found online at www.AAA.com/publicaffairs.

“ It is up to parents to set and enforce clear driving rules that include limiting night driving, no other teens in the car, and no cell phone use while driving, just to name a few,” Mai said.