Keller @ Large: Let Teens Know How Distracted Driving Devastates Families

BOSTON (CBS) - Welcome to Day Four of what the American Automobile Association calls the "100 Deadliest Days" because the average death toll of teenage drivers soars 16-percent after Memorial Day.

About a thousand people a year have died in teen-involved accidents over the past five years, and the reasons are obvious.

According to the folks at AAA, inexperienced drivers are suddenly spending more time on the road, driving longer distances.

And they're not always paying attention to what they're doing. Nearly 40-percent of the accidents involve drivers distracted by others in the car, by their cell phones and by fiddling with the radio or other in-car devices.

Many schools and local police departments try to help with programs highlighting the risks, but once school is out and the wrecked cars they park outside schools during prom season are gone, the memory of those warnings fades.

I found my now-grown sons and their friends to be pretty good about using a designated driver, but the problem isn't just about drinking.

So that leaves a major role for parents to play.

And my best advice dates back to a study I read years ago that found the most effective anti-smoking ads were the ones that pointed out how devastated other family members would be if kids damaged their health.

Let your teen know what it would do to you and their other loved ones if they became a driving statistic.

Don't sugarcoat it.

Their love for you may be the best way to keep them safe this summer.

Listen to Jon's commentary: