What teen drivers do not know.

• Position: Holiday Traffic - What Teenage Drivers Don't Know: Unwritten Rules of the Road

The holiday season sees 100,000,000 or more U.S. drivers hitting the road to visit friends and family amplifying the risk of serious accidents, especially those involving inexperienced teenagers. In What Teenage Drivers Don't Know: Unwritten Rules of the Road, authors John Harmata and Paul Zientarski provide advice to try to keep these young men and women safe.

'Vehicle maintenance is always important," says Harmata, "but especially so before a long trip. Traveling in groups is also a good idea, as is keeping an emergency kit and contact list in a handy location. In the event of an accident, even a minor one, a fully charged cell phone can be a teen driver's best resource. Most of all, teens should allow plenty of time to reach their destination, driving carefully and following all the rules of the road. Holiday traffic can be stressful and frustrating, but it's helpful to keep a cool head."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Ga., an average of six teenagers die in traffic accidents every day. Males are about twice as likely to be victims of a fatal crash in any year. Those aged 15 to 24 account for nearly one-third of the total costs of accidents nationwide.

Several factors converge to enhance the dangers of teen driving, including a low rate of seat belt usage and the tendency of young people to take needless risks behind the wheel. Even having teen passengers in the car has been shown to make a teen driver more likely to make a miscalculation.

During any major holiday where travel is common, teens naturally account for the...