Question: I have a 15 year old son and we just signed him up for driver’s training and I was told that a State Trooper provides a presentation for the parents and new drivers. Can you explain what this presentation consists of and is this mandatory? Answer: There is a presentation called Point Of Impact and I am one troopers who presents it in my region. The class will increase parent awareness of teen driving risks, Minnesota’s teen driver laws and the important role parents play in developing a safer teen driver. Attending the presentation is encouraged for new drivers and their parents but it’s not required. In Minnesota, every driver under the age of 18 who completes behind the wheel instruction and is testing for a provisional driver’s license must submit a driving log. The log must show a minimum of 50 hours of behind the wheel driving with an adult, with 15 of those hours being at night. If a parent attends a Point Of Impact presentations that is offered throughout the state, 40 hours are required versus 50 hours. Minnesota driver education providers (schools) must provide a “Supplemental Parental Curriculum” to any parent/guardian who chooses to receive it. At a minimum, the supplemental parental curriculum must: 1. Be at least 90 minutes in length; 2. Be provided by or in the presence of a driver education instructor; and 3. Provide information concerning graduated driver licensing, safety risks associated with novice drivers, potential influence of adults on novice driver behaviors, and additional resources. Parents/guardians should contact their local driver education providers (schools) to obtain information on upcoming parent awareness classes. Traffic crashes are the second leading cause of teen deaths in Minnesota. Each year, more than 30 teens (ages 16–19) are killed on Minnesota roads. It takes a commitment by parents and many hours to prepare teen drivers to get behind the wheel. Parent involvement has proven to reduce teen-related crashes. A portion of state statutes were used with permission from the Office of the Revisor of Statutes. If you have any questions concerning traffic related laws or issues in Minnesota, send your questions to Trp. Jesse Grabow – Minnesota State Patrol at 1000 Highway 10 West, Detroit Lakes, MN 56501-2205. (You can follow him on Twitter @MSPPIO_NW or reach him at, jesse.grabow@state.mn.us).