Press Release  MassDOT Registry of Motor Vehicles Announces Enhanced Teen Driver Initiative: “The Parent’s Supervised Driving Program”

Boston — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV), in collaboration with Safe Roads Alliance and program sponsors Safety Insurance, Toyota North America, and the Massachusetts National Guard announced today that The Parent’s Supervised Driving Program has been updated and is now available at statewide full-service RMV Service Centers and online at eregulations.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/19MAPSDP.pdf. A copy of the guide will be distributed for free to all Junior Operators when they obtain their learner’s permits.

“We’re pleased to continue our partnership with the Safe Roads Alliance and founding sponsor Safety Insurance, and welcome new sponsors Toyota and the Massachusetts National Guard, for this important initiative,” said Registrar of Motor Vehicles Erin Deveney. “We believe families who participate in The Parent’s Supervised Driving Program assist us in underscoring safe driving habits and practices for our young adults.”

The Parent’s Supervised Driving Program is used in more than 24 states nationwide and focuses on the critical role that parents play in the teen driver education process. The Program includes a printed and digital curriculum and the RoadReady^® mobile app for Apple and Android devices that allows parents and teens to electronically log and manage their driving hours with their smartphone or similar device.

“Parents are the key to ensuring the safety of teen drivers,” said Safe Roads Alliance President Emily Stein. “The more involved the parents are at this important phase when teens are learning to drive, the more likely that these teens will avoid being in a crash once they are driving on their own.”

“Crashes are the number one cause of teen deaths in the U.S.,” said Jeff Larason, Director of the Office of Grants and Research Highway Safety Division. “Parental involvement can have a huge impact on the learning process. Teens crash less when parents are engaged and involved.” 

“Safety Insurance is proud to sponsor The Parent’s Supervised Driving Program to make the driving experience a safer one for both parent and teenager,” said John Drago, Vice President of Marketing. “By encouraging teenagers to spend as much time as possible behind the wheel while supervised, this program not only increases the development of their driving skills from the beginning, but also prepares them to exercise good judgment throughout their driving careers.”

Toyota North America stated, “At Toyota, we have a vision of saving lives and amplifying the message of safe driving to teens, parents and educators. That is why we have partnered with The Parent’s Supervised Driving Program to promote safe driving for teens and their families.”

Massachusetts Army National Guard Deputy Chief of Marketing & Education Sergeant Geoffrey D. Allen said, “The Massachusetts National Guard has been protecting Bay Staters at home and abroad for nearly four centuries. Through collaboration with The Parent’s Supervised Driving Program, we are able to get the right information into the right hands to provide a sobering view of the very real dangers our young drivers face. We are also proud to announce a new Impaired Driving Prevention Program which is offered to Massachusetts schools and community organizations at no cost. Through our hands-on distracted/impaired driving program, our youth receive the training they need to face those dangers.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, crashes are the leading cause of teen deaths. The agency recommends that parents familiarize themselves with restrictions on learner’s permits and Junior Operator Licenses, establish ground rules for teens such as restricted night driving and passenger limits, prohibit the use of phones or other electronic devices while driving, and require seat belt use at all times.

The learning process requires that Junior Operators spend at least 40 hours of supervised driving with a parent or guardian in a variety of road and traffic conditions, in addition to successfully completing a Registrar-approved driver education and training program. A video explaining the learning permit process in greater detail is available online: youtube.com/watch?v=Db-WslM891w.

The MassDOT RMV is committed to providing efficient, reliable, and professional customer service while issuing and overseeing all license, ID, and motor vehicle registrations in the Commonwealth. In 2018, the Registry issued approximately 66,878 learner’s permits.

The RMV recommends that customers “Start Online First” to review more than 40 transactions and services that are available, such as paying a fee, scheduling a road test, and renewing a registration, and “Get Ready” online before visiting a service center. For more information and to start transactions, go to Mass.gov/rmv.

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