Anyone else anxious about their teenagers being passengers with newly qualified drivers?

[Allromanticsmeetthesamefate]

I have 3 DD’s, the eldest is at university and not really part of this particular concern but my other two are 17 & 15 and for context we live quite rurally in Cornwall with high RTA numbers.

Both girls now have quite a few friends within their friend group that are learning to drive and a couple that have very recently passed their tests.

DD17 had told me that she has been invited out on a drive today and I imagine there will be chatter and music etc, when I pushed back and told her I wasn’t sure I was comfortable with this, especially with her friend being such a freshly new driver she said to me that there is going to be a lot more invites out as lots of her male and female friends are nearing test ready.

Is it just me that is absolutely terrified by this?!

I guess I am stereotyping a lot, young boys showing off, girls maybe distracted or vice versa, but living in an area and seeing quite of accidents involving these exact behaviours, throw in things like weekly parties with lots of beer/cider, all nighters revising, a bit of teenage cannabis experimenting it just makes me so anxious.

Wondered if I was alone in this or if other parents felt the same and if so how did you manage your own anxiety and also how strongly you but in advice rules for your children.

I feel this. I still offered to drive my kids everywhere so they could have a drink

I couldn't bear the thought of the Police knocking on my door. I do absolutely understand that was my fears speaking, however within. 5 days of my child passing their test they wrote a car off with severe Injuries to one of the passengers. So this is my reality

what’s wrong with him taking a test and the examiner deciding if he’s competent enough?

All the cars in accidents involving young people aged 17-19 with multiple fatalities were driven by people who an examiner had decided was competent enough.

OP, I don't have teenagers, but I'd be worried too, especially at this time of year. These sort of accidents seem to happen so often in summer/just after A Levels.

But it's not so easy when your dd is the passenger - she can't control what the driver and other passengers do.

You are right to be concerned. I'm in Australia and in my state there are a shedload of restrictions about how many passengers during the P plate period as well as zero blood alcohol when driving.

For four years after passing the test.

We had the rule that they couldn't drive their own sibling or any pairs of siblings who were their friends for a year after passing their test. I like the sound of the restrictions that other countries have. The whole thing is such a worry.

We said no to being a passenger.

Even though dds lovely responsible friend offered to drive her, we said hard no. Rural fast windy roads, no street lights, an hours journey, music on high - felt it was a disaster waiting to happen!