50% Of Parents Use Driver Tracking Apps with Teens

Almost 50% of parents with new teen drivers use a tracking app to monitor their child’s activity on the road, according to a new USAA survey. The survey, conducted by Endeavor Analytics and YouGov, uncovered data about why parents believe tracking apps help their teens maintain a safer road presence.

93% of participating parents with drivers ages of 16 to 20 worry about their child taking the car out–pointing to things like distracted driving, namely due to phone use, and overall inexperience behind the wheel.

Other notable findings include:

• 86% of respondents say they check the app that monitors their teen’s driving at least weekly.
• 49% of respondents monitor the app daily.
• 87% of respondents who report using a tracking app feel their child’s driving improved as a result.   

Parents specifically report that using a tracking app helps increase their teen’s awareness of their driving habits due to parental feedback, as well as real-time feedback from the technology.

Benefits of Using Driver Tracking Apps

According to Randy Termeer, President, Property and Casualty Insurance at USAA, driving apps do more than just offer parents peace of mind.

“These apps also help teens become more conscious of their own behavior behind the wheel,” he tells Parents.

Termeer explains that apps improve kids’ habits behind the wheel because they know their actions are being tracked. “This technology fosters better communication between parents and teens, making it easier to discuss areas of concern and reinforcing safe driving habits. For most, it helped them recognize that they need to be more mindful of their actions on the road.”

He gives an example of the type of feedback a driving app provides: “Once the trip concludes, both parents and child can review driving behaviors such as harsh braking and phone distractions, providing a chance for constructive discussions.”

Termeer knows about these potentially tough conversations firsthand as a parent of two teen drivers.

“Data from driving apps helps take the emotion out of it—it’s not just your opinion but real, objective information,” he says. “This makes discussions more productive, offering clear goals for improvement.”

Bill Van Tassel, PhD, Manager of Driver Training Operations for AAA, says using a driver tracking app can also help to foster a sense of partnership through accountability between parent and child during this challenging new time. Teens can even track their parents’ driving activity. Dr. Van Tassel suggests putting a family safe driving challenge in place to make responsible road activity fun for everyone. 

Meanwhile, the app “Can help give teens an ‘out’ against peer pressure to drive unsafely,” Dr. Van Tassel tells Parents. For instance, a teen might say to a peer, “If I speed, my parents will find out immediately.”

Why Driver Tracking Apps May Not Be for Everyone

While I acknowledge the benefits of driver tracking apps, and I worry daily about the risks of my daughter’s new driving freedom, I do not plan to use the technology. 

Call me old fashioned, but I feel tracking my teen’s activity behind the wheel is an invasion of her privacy. In my opinion, she has earned the right to enjoy some independence, especially since she took her year of learning with a permit very seriously, and she enrolled in a multi-day driving course. What’s more, the state says she can legally operate a vehicle.

All of that said, I of course understand my daughter is inexperienced. But we all were at some point! I’ll add that since she’s a new driver, we limit where she is allowed to go for now—and her privileges will increase as she gains experience. 

Another reason I don’t use a tracking app is that I don’t think I’d do well with the technology, as it would only serve to heighten my anxiety about my daughter being on the road. I imagine myself checking the app incessantly to the point of obsession—not good!

Yaranil Ferrer, a licensed clinical social worker in New Jersey, agrees.

“Checking the app in an attempt to relieve anxiety can be a potential problem for parents,” she says. “If anxiety peaks but is relieved by checking, there is a potential for compulsive and obsessive behaviors.”

Her advice? “Understanding why you are utilizing the app in the first place and connecting that with the values you want to live by can help you get to a place of intentional use of the app that adds to you and your family’s life and wellbeing.”

While Ferrer agrees driver tracking apps offer plenty of upside, she also says, “If these apps are used as a means of surveillance, that’s when this can become an issue as the app turns into a power and control tactic, which can lead to issues within the parent-child relationship.”

Dr. Van Tassel adds, “It’s probably best for parents not to rely exclusively on an app to monitor how their teen’s driving abilities and habits are evolving.”

He recommends getting in the car with your child now and again when they’re driving, even after they have their license, so rhythms of trust and good driving habits are formed.

Tips for Maximizing Your Teen Driver’s Safety

Whether or not you choose to use a driver tracking app, experts offer some tips for ensuring your young driver is safe out there on the roadways:

• Assist your teen with directions before they hit the road: This can include searching available routes with them before getting in the car, and inputing the address into the gps together before sending them off.
• Instruct them to set phones to “do not disturb” mode while driving: At the very least, encourage them to check in with you once they’ve arrived to their destination. Or if they need to contact someone, use voice text only.
• Suggest creating a song playlist ahead of time: This can be a fun way for them to relax while not having to worry about changing the channel on the radio. For example, they can create a playlist for their commute to school.
• Encourage teens to pull over to address any potential distractions: Including dropping a phone under the seat or dealing with a bug that flies into the car while they’re driving.

Finally, Ferrer says that when it comes to a teen’s driving, parents need to recognize what they are doing right. 

“We can get so focused on what needs improvement that we forget to take notice of what’s going well,” she says. “When addressing any concerns, be sure to point out where they are improving and even excelling.”