Teenage drivers get a bad rap, and I hate to say it, but a lot of it is deserved. Teenagers are in large part, and by nature, a mischievous, thrill-seeking, anti-authority group, constantly testing the bounds which society has placed on them.

Chances are that any given teenager has been anxiously awaiting the historic day when they would finally get their driver's license and all of the freedom which it represents. Maybe they've even already purchased a flame-embossed steering wheel cover before they even had a car.

Of course, the young driver should be completely familiar with all of the rules of the road, but here I present several common and avoidable situations which could endanger the life or well-being of your teenage driver, or other drivers who will share the road with him or her. Talk seriously to your young-adult driver about these common problems and you just might save yourself some heartache and/or frustration:

1. First and foremost is the issue of Speeding. The family station wagon or SUV is only a few short steps from a race-car, and young drivers are often tempted to try out the capabilities of the vehicle. Racing along at 100 miles per hour in Dad's Honda can be exhilarating, but it is also a quick way to get killed.

Speeding can be deadly even in late night drag races down seemingly empty stretches of road, and that much more so in traffic. Of course, there is also the danger of being ticketed, but that is nothing compared to an uncomfortable collision between a face and a steering column or windshield.

2. Secondly, Seatbelts are a must. On the night of my High School graduation, two of my friends were driving back from a fishing trip, when the driver fell asleep at the wheel; The truck rolled 6 times and the driver, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected from the vehicle and killed instantly. The passenger was wearing his seatbelt; He spent two weeks in Intensive Care, but he lived.

In short, the young driver may find the seatbelt to be too restrictive, or uncomfortable, but they are there for a very good reason. They may just want to abstain from buckling up as a symbol of their nonconformity. It is imperative that every person in the vehicle wears their safety belt.

3. The highway is not the place to read books, apply make-up, chat on the cell phone, or search for radio stations. The young driver should take care of these tasks before the car is moving, and never let anything compromise their full attention to

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