0120_Tracking_Teen

News Articles

Tracking Teenage Drivers

WJGH-TV NBC Panama City Beach - January 20, 2012

Parents of teenage drivers may soon be able to sign up to be notified if their son or daughter gets a ticket. The idea is to alert parents before insurance costs go up.

There are more than 326 Thousand teens under the age of 18 with a drivers license or learners permit in Florida. How often they get tickets is unknown, but Eva Mustian’s 17 year old brother already has his share.

“How did your dad react when he got told?”
“He was really upset about the fine and with the red light camera, my brother has been caught on a couple of those too, but he doesn’t tell my parents. They just have to find out by the mail.”

We asked these teens if they would tell their parents about any tickets.

Zack Figman, student driver: “I don’t want to get in trouble and get points on my license if I forget about it.”

Preston Neimeiser, 17 year old driver: “Yeah, I just gotta be honest with my parents, man!”

But not everyone might be so forthcoming. So under legislation being considered at the Capitol, parents could pay a five dollar fee to be notified if their son or daughter gets a ticket.

Parents already have the right to call up the state and check on their teen driver’s record without paying any fees. The email notification takes it one step further.

Sponsor Greg Evers says the idea is to get information into the hands of parents before they see their insurance rates going up. “It will allow the parent to intervene with the child, and see they take the online courses or whatever to keep that from going on their record.”

New York State has a similar law. But if the bill passes, Florida will have to revamp some ticket reporting to make the legislation meaningful.

About six thousand parents would have to sign up for the program to make it pay for itself. Any extra cash would be used to promote safe driving to teens.