I wrote this post as part of my participation in a blog tour for Latina Mom Bloggers on behalf of the Allstate Foundation and received compensation to thank me for taking the time to participate. However, all opinions expressed are my own.

From the Allstate Foundation, “¡Vamos!”, or “Let’s Go!” in English, is the first-ever national survey looking into the attitudes and behaviors of Hispanic teen drivers and parents. The Allstate Foundation conducted the survey to identify tools and tips to help all parents keep their teen safer when driving. The survey found that 42% of Hispanic parents did not know that the #1 cause of teen deaths involve an automobile accident. And it doesn’t always involve drunk driving either. A teen’s inexperience behind the wheel makes them more accident-prone than someone who’s been driving for years. Having your teen wait until they are 18 or older does not translate to a safer driver. Experience counts.  I was one of the teenagers that did not drive until after high school and it appears to be a common trend these days among teenagers, for a variety of reasons.

I recently participated in a Q &A with Allstate’s national Hispanic community spokesperson, Jorge Monsivais, a Latino Allstate agent and parent of a teen driver. He discussed the dangers for teen drivers today like cell phone distractions and texting while behind the wheel, which are really dangers for all of us.  I was reminded recently by a friendly officer on patrol that even texting while at a red light is a no-no.

There are many things we can do to prepare and assist our teenagers.  One of the biggest things is communicate. As parents, we have to keep the lines on communication open with our teens in order to maintain some influence in their developing lives. Especially when driving. I suggest you check out Allstate’s Parent/Teen Driving Agreement and find out for yourself, just how useful these ideas are. Parents can speak with their teen and be 100% clear on expectations when their teens are driving. Both parties sign and teens will be held accountable for their actions when driving. It’s a great tool and an easy way to open a discussion with your children.

Here are some other tips that Jorge Monsivais gave all parents for communicating to their teen about driving safety:

• As parents, we need to set aside time to drive with our teen a minimum of 30 minutes per week.
• Key points to discuss with teen drivers are no speeding, turn off cell phone while driving, and wear seatbelt at all times.
• Ask your teen not to allow any teen passengers for the first six months of driving.
• Coach teen drivers on driving process as well as set rules for safety.

It is important to create a culture of teen safe driving and parents are the number one resource of information when it comes to learning to drive for teens. Now with the help of the Allstate Foundation, parents have access to resources to help keep their teen driver safe on the road and as a result, making all the roads safer for drivers.

Have a safe Mother’s Day weekend out there on the roads!