If you want to pinpoint the reason that many young teens have serious driving accidents, this pretty much sums it up - - inexperience. Whether they are on their way to surf, swim or start a summer job, teens may find themselves in driving situations they aren't equipped to handle yet.

Parents can make the summer driving season a safer one, say officials at GEICO, by helping their teens develop more experience and by limiting certain driving situations until new drivers are better prepared to handle them.

• Limit night driving. Many teen car crashes take place between 9 p.m. and 12 midnight. Beginning drivers should be restricted to driving during the day initially.
• Restrict passengers. Having more passengers in a car increases the chance of greater risk-taking, because of greater peer pressure and because it leads to greater distractions.
• Keep it slow and safe for starters. Remember that teens need to stay away from fast-moving, high volumes of traffic until they feel comfortable in such situations.
• Be firm about safety belt use. Require that your teenagers wear safety belts at all times -- no exceptions.
• Discuss realistic consequences of drug and alcohol use. Let them hear it from you that alcohol and drug use is totally unacceptable when driving.

Parents can also help by:

1. Providing training for bad weather situations. Limit your teen's driving during periods of bad weather until the teen demonstrates a high level of competence and confidence.
2. Supervising as much practice driving as possible. Parents should take an active role in the teenager's driving practice. Make a firm schedule to supervise your future driver and stick to it.
3. Restricting cell phones to emergency use only. Don't let bad habits begin. Provide your young teen with a cell phone for the car for emergency situations only.
4. Choosing safe vehicles for your children. Proper attention to the vehicle a teen drives is as important as his or her actual driving. Avoid small cars, trucks and sport utility vehicles. Look for automobiles with high safety ratings (air bags, crumple zones, etc.).
5. Serving as a responsible role model. New drivers learn a lot by example, so practice safe driving. Teens with poor driving records often reflect the behavior of parents with poor driving records.