Teen Driving

You’ve heard the term “helicopter parents”, right? Well, for those of you who haven’t, a “helicopter parent” is a parent who constantly hovers over her kids, whose blades, so to speak, are always in rotation mode a few feet above her child’s head. “Helicopter parent” is a millennialism made possible by technological breakthroughs like cell phones and something called GPS tracking.

We all know how cell phones work, so let’s focus on GPS tracking, and one of its many tentacles, teen tracking. Without getting too technical, GPS (Global Positioning System) is governed by satellite signals that track the precise position of a location. GPS tracking is available in different applications called passive and real time, and the Tracking Key, a passive GPS tracking device, is an especially helpful tool when it comes to monitoring teen driving habits. (more…)

Call me too practical, call me too sensible, but I would never have considered a bag of cat litter an appropriate Holiday gift for a new teen driver.  Like—where have I been?

Then I got to thinking about cat litter.  Besides the obvious purpose it serves, cat litter provides traction on a slippery, snow covered surface—an essential component to any emergency road kit!

Holiday Gifts For Teen Drivers:

The items that teen drivers like to bring along for the ride are generally distracting:  cell phones, iPods, MP3 Players and the like.  So is there anything out there we can give our teenagers drivers, items that encourage, rather than undermine, driver safety precautions this winter? (more…)

NewsChannel5.com, Nashville, TN, recently aired a feature about parents resorting to something called GPS tracking  to keep tabs on their teen drivers.  The verdict issued by parents seemed to favor the increasingly popular GPS tracking devices.  The teen jury, however, is still out on this one.

To plant the seed of suspicion in the problematic subject of teen driving, the commentator poses the question to parents:  “Ever wonder if your teenagers are somewhere they shouldn’t be?  Are they telling the truth?”

This is followed by a hearty reassurance: “Now, if they’re driving the car, you can check!”

So here’s this little GPS tracking gadget that gets installed somewhere in or on her car.  She informs the parental units that she’s going over to Nicole’s house to work on their history project, but instead she heads for the mall and all the good sales that await her.  Under more primitive circumstances, your teen driver might get away with it, but now—BUSTED!  Thanks to the mapping capabilities of the GPS tracking unit, Mom and Dad can access a detailed report that not only shows where their teen driver’s vehicle has been, but how many miles were driven and at what speed!  And unlike cigarettes, alcohol or other contraband, this device can be purchased right off the shelf at just about any auto parts store—no I.D. required.

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Drunk Driving

The holiday season is fast upon us. This means parties and parties generally mean alcohol, the ultimate substance for merry making.  Million of folks worldwide–religious and secular alike–will take part in the festivities and ring in the New Year with copious quantities of champagne and other alcoholic beverages.  Many will then crawl into their cars and commit mayhem.  And murder.

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