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NEW YORK - Parents who sent text messages while driving, weave between lanes, or even play chicken with trucks, your children have a message for you -- they're watching you and will probably copy you.
A survey of more than 2,250 US parents and children found eight in every 10 children aged between 10 and 18 pay attention to their parent's driving at least half of the time they are in the car, even though they're listening to music or talking.
But while two in five parents surveyed said they curbed bad driving habits in front of their children, more than half of the young observers said their parents used their cell phone behind the wheels and 80 per cent reported them for speeding.
"Parents think their kids are in the back listening to music or watching DVDs and not really paying attention to the driving but kids are watching from an early age and parents are their role models," Bill Windsor, associate vice president of safety at Nationwide Mutual Insurance, told Reuters.
"Kids do notice when their parents drive through red lights, don't wear their seat belts or are on the phone. I think the kids are the ones telling the truth here."
The survey, conducted by Marketing Services Research on behalf of Nationwide Mutual Insurance, found that one third of the 1,1518 child respondents said they had been scared at least once one by their parent's driving.
The story by one child of their parent drinking alcohol while driving surprised researchers but the most stunning story was of a mother who wanted to punish a misbehaving daughter so played "chicken" with a truck, driving straight at it, and ending up in a ditch at the side of the road.
Ann McCartt of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said the survey confirmed previous research that children were closely watching their parents' driving habits and this formed their views of what was -- and was not -- acceptable behavior behind the wheel.
According to the institute, car crashes are the leading cause of death among US teens. For 16 to 18 year-olds, they account for more than one-third of all deaths.
McCartt said research from a year ago by the institute found that parents with traffic violations and crashes were most likely to have teenage children with traffic violations and crashes.
"With this new survey it came through clearly that parents begin to be a role model not just when their teens get their learner permit but many years before that," she told Reuters.
"Many parents say they are trying to set a good role model for their children but they often fall short."
Marketing Services Research said the survey had a plus or minus 4.8 per cent margin of error.
- REUTERS
