According to federal data, about 19 teens die from car crashes every day. Will this help?
Safeco Insurance unveiled a teen driving package today that notifies parents when their young driver speeds, breaks curfew or drives outside of an agreed-upon area.
With studies showing that the most dangerous time for teens is the first few months that they drive alone, parents can also use the Internet and global-positioning satellites to find their car at any moment.
"Teensurance," available in all 44 states where Safeco provides auto insurance, is the first time that a major national insurance company has combined multiple safety programs in a single package designed to prevent teen deaths.
Jim Havens, Safeco's vice president of consumer solutions, says parents and teens who used the $25-a-month package in a trial run found that it helped new drivers earn trust fast.
"It flips the conversation completely around, from the parent saying 'no' to the parent being in the know," Havens says.
Teensurance includes an online survey that helps parents identify a teen driver's weak spots and provides a contract to help parents set limits on driving time and range. It also features roadside assistance and allows parents to unlock a car remotely if keys get locked inside, a common mistake made by inexperienced drivers.
Mary Hanke, a single mother from Sammamish, Wash., enrolled when her daughter, Christina, 17, was ready to drive. "If my daughter speeds, I get a phone call," she says. "I can check at any time on the Internet where she is. She is a good kid, and I want to keep her that way."
Everything about this sounds good to us! Where do we sign up?