Not So Fast

July 15, 2013
Hollister, whose son, Reid, was killed in a 2006 car crash at age 17, subsequently served on a Connecticut task force on teen driving laws, and has become a national spokesperson and blogger on the subject of safer teen driving. This book, he notes, is “unique and somewhat odd,” as it doesn’t address how to teach a teen to drive. Nevertheless, it’s an invaluable resource for parents, with a focus on ample supervision and risk control. Hollister explains why there is “no such thing” as a safe teen driver; the adolescent brain is not fully developed—a reality that only experience and physical growth can remedy. However, there are steps that parents can take to lessen the hazards. For instance, parents can insist upon purposeful driving and a designated route (rather than joy riding), limit or prohibit passengers, share the family car rather than letting the teen have her own, and create a Teen Driving Agreement (TDA) to clarify rules. Hollister helps parents determine whether their child is ready to drive (some states’ teen driving laws are more lenient than others, so parents need to step up) and provides pro-active steps to ensure that safety comes first. This concise, practical, and potentially life-saving book should be required reading for every parent before their teen gets behind the wheel. Agent: Joy Tutela, David Black Literary Agency.

November 15, 2013

After the tragic loss of his 17-year-old son to a car crash in 2006, Hollister became a national, award-winning advocate for safer teen driving laws. In this brief and concisely written text, he examines the real dangers behind teen driving and explores how parents can best work within that reality. Hollister does not include information about driving itself but instead focuses on helping parents make informed decisions for when their teens are on the road. In short, fact-filled chapters, he looks at baseline hazards and higher risk factors, what Driver's Ed isn't, graduated licensing, teen driving agreements, and the danger of passengers, to name a few topics. VERDICT The average teen driver has a one in 4,300 chance of dying behind the wheel. Given that the judgment part of the brain does not fully mature until ages 22 to 25, parents would do well to set standards and expectations early on, as risks will remain in place for years to come despite experience. This is an interesting addition to an underrepresented topic; recommended for all libraries.

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.